When the Wallflower Bloomed
by Psuedonanymous
Summary: (Slight AU. special episode & beyond never happened. previously titled Shooting Stars and Music Notes) Shouko always placed herself in the sidelines; a wallflower. But that all changed quickly when she was chosen to join an international competition. Also, she has a fiance? As she tried to cope up with the new twist of her life, can someone realize his feelings before its too late?
1. Chapter 1

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**So yeah, this is my first attempt in writing a La Corda d'Oro fanfic, so go easy on me.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of la Corda d'Oro and all rights go to the original creator. The only thing I own in this story is the plot and my own characters.**

**Well, anyway, I'll be using their first names in the paragraphs in the story, despite of the fact that I'm used in using their last names. But then again, I MIGHT be using their last names in the paragraphs as well. So, yeah, don't get confused they are still the same person. But hey, I trust that you know what their last names and first names are so I don't see much of a problem there. **

**I believe that is all. Also this is kind of an AU type of story since certain parts of the plot clashes with the events in the original series. And that the third years are still present instead of being already graduated. Plus the special episode never happened. But don't worry the main scenes are present and untouched. Hope you like the story. **

**-juniperfalcon17**

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**PROLOGUE**

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Finally, the first Friday of December arrived and after a long week of stressful exams, homework and projects almost all of the students of Seiso Academy are excited about their plans for the upcoming weekend. It started to snow a few days before that day and numerous shops around town have started putting up big sales just for the coming season holidays. But as some were just sitting back, relishing the relief that the pressure of the previous exams is finally fading away, some were still rushing about the campus trying to finish certain errands and tasks before the day closes so they won't have to worry about it in the weekends - namely, the esteemed committee members of the upcoming Charity Concert.

The members of the previous Concours plus several volunteers and representatives were tasked to put up a Christmas Charity Concert, as was tradition. As one of the objectives of the said concert was to bring joy that comes with the Christmas Festivities through music, it had been decided by the committee that 80% of the collected funds will be divided and distributed to the orphanages around town as a form of aid to them. So far, everything seems to be going well. More sponsors are extending their help and financial support for the concert each week especially because of the mixed influences of those who belong to the high social-class families. The Concert is coming up in a few weeks, so everyone is working double time on their task, hoping to finish it in time so they can enjoy the weekend.

Keiichi Shimizu stifled a yawn as he walked down the now empty corridors of the music department building. His curly blonde hair looked unruly as ever but it did nothing to lessen his outward appearance.

"I wonder if someone is still in the committee room," the young cellist thought, instantly deciding at that moment that he would at least take a peek at the said room and check if somebody needed him for something before going home.

Unbelievably, of all the members of the committee, the young cellist was the first one to complete his task for the day. Since he spends most of his time asleep during committee meetings he was given the least job, not that he minded. He offered to help some of the other members but most of them told him that they could handle it. As it was still a little early to be heading home, the young sleepy cellist went to one of the music rooms to practice but it was not long before he fell asleep himself- as always.

When he was around the corner at the end of the hallway, he accidentally collided with someone. Fortunately, the impact of the collision wasn't that strong or else the other person would have ended sitting on the floor however, the collision didn't prevent the other person from dropping a couple of boxes containing what looks like music sheets thus scattering them on the floor.

"I'm so sorry," the other person apologized, a girl by the sound of it. Without even looking at the young cellist, the girl quickly knelt down and started picking up the scattered music sheets on the floor. It was only then did Keiichi take notice of the person he just bumped into; a music student with turquoise hair with clips on the side.

Keiichi knows only one girl to fit that description.

"Fuuyumi-san," the cellist said softly (or rather sleepily). Upon hearing her last name the girl froze from what she is doing and looked up. It was evident that it was only then did she realize who she just bumped into as well. Her eyes widen for a bit then her cheeks let out a pink hue; as she always did. Her reasons, only God knows.

"Sh…Shimizu-kun," she stammered in greeting and then muttered another apology.

"I should be the one apologizing, Fuuyumi-san. I wasn't looking," the young cellist replied as he also knelt to help her pick up some of the scattered music sheets.

Subconsciously, when they both reached out to grab a music sheet at the same time, they ended up touching each other's hand; with Keiichi's hand on top. Shoko immediately let go, blushing a little while muttering an apology. The young cellist didn't show any emotion but somehow, something inside him suddenly felt funny, something he can't place at that moment.

Maybe he was hungry?

Ignoring it, Keiichi just took the music sheet and handed it to her. Shoko once again mumbled an apology but somehow she managed to tone down her blush a little. Though he didn't show any visible indication, Keiichi was somewhat curious as to why the young girl would always apologize as if it was an automatic response to something. It would be extremely surprising if Shoko didn't mutter an apology about something for a day; though most of it was not really her fault.

"T...thank you…Shi…Shimizu-kun," she said, stammering as usual as she took the sheet and adding it with the rest.

"You're welcome Fuuyumi-san," he answered in his usual tone, smiling a little. Then he subconsciously looked at the general direction of where the committee room is, "Are you the last one from the committee to go home?"

Shoko Fuuyumi nodded sheepishly then her expression changed to a curious yet worried one, "D…did you forget something inside the room S…Shimizu-kun? I…I already gave the key to K…Kanazawa-sensei. I…I'm sure he is still here…" she trailed off.

Keiichi shook his head, "I didn't forget anything,"

"Oh," was all Shoko said, though clearly relieved by his answer. She then gave a small smile, "Well, that's a relief."

In all honesty, he didn't know how but somehow they started making their way out of the school building. Given the distance between the school building and the front gate, it took them a good five minutes to reach the statue of the supposedly guardian of the school. At some point in their silent walk, Keiichi spared his companion a glance and tilted his head slightly to the side as he eyed the box in the young clarinetist's arms.

"Are you going to take that home, Fuuyumi-san?" he asked.

Shoko looked down at the box in her arms and sheepishly nodded, "I…I didn't get to finish sorting them so I asked K…Kanazawa-sensei if I could continue it at home,"

"Are you going ice skating with Kaho-sempai tomorrow afternoon?" he suddenly asked when they reached the school gate.

"Yes, I am," Shoko answered with a nod then her eyes roamed her surroundings. When she saw her driver patiently waiting for her near a black car, the young clarinetist immediately blushed with a rather ashamed look. Upon seeing her, the driver rushed over and took the box out of Shoko's arms insisting that he should be the one carrying it for it is not right for someone like herself to do so.

"I should be going," Shoko said to the young cellist. Then her look became more hesitant as she tried to formulate her next words.

That was when the driver came to them and politely asked, "Will the young man be joining us, Miss Fuuyumi?"

Shoko immediately looked at him, the look in her eyes made the young cellist think that she was asking the question again though that gaze. But, of course, he had other plans for the day so ever so politely he gave a bow before straightening up again and smiled his ever angelic smile that made a lot of girls in the campus swoon - or on others' case, faint. "Thank you for the offer but I'm afraid I have to decline,"

"Oh," Shoko said, "W…we'll be going then, S…Shimizu-kun. T...Take c…care on your way h…home"

Keiichi nodded, "See you tomorrow then Fuuyumi-san,"

The young clarinetist looked at him for a moment then she smiled before giving a cheerful nod. The driver opened the backseat door for her and she entered the vehicle with such grace and ease that one could mistake her actions like that of someone with a royal blood. Well, given that she was raised in a high-class family, Keiichi figured it would be something that is normal; like a habit. As the car drove off, the young cellist started his walk towards the local park, hoping to play something for the crowd to hear to keep them in the Christmas Spirit.

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	2. Chapter 2

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**CHAPTER ONE**

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**(The Next Day)**

Shoko Fuuyumi let out a sigh as she made her way towards the rink, several fliers in hand.

In all honesty, she wasn't into ice-skating that much. The only reason why she learned how to ice-skate is because her father wants her to and being the father's girl she is, she just couldn't say no. Sure she can skate pretty well but she always have the tendency to get herself injured every time she goes ice skating; especially with a huge crowd like this.

The young clarinetist sighed once again as she recalled how they got in such situation in the first place.

The whole ice-skating plan was from her seniors, Kahoko Hino and Hihara Kazuki then it was seconded by her other seniors Nami Amou and Manami Mori, thus leaving the majority of them to reluctantly agree with the whole set-up. It was agreed upon that they would use this opportunity to advertise their upcoming concert but Shoko was sure that was just a front.

Four of her seniors were already there when she arrived; Hihara and Nami were already skating - which seemed more like racing, by the looks of it - while the Kahoko and Manami just watched them with amused eyes as they waited for the others to arrive. She was told that, unfortunately, Azuma couldn't make it due to an urgent meeting with the family company and since it doesn't really concern her, she didn't pry anymore. Keiichi arrived several minutes after her, looking as if he woke up from a nap; which probably was true. A good thirty minutes later, Len and Ryotaro arrived with visible scowls on their faces; obviously not pleased. They spoke their usual greetings to each other, of course with the squeals of delight from Shoko's seniors and the usual fist bumps from Hihara and Ryotaro included - at least that eased the mood a bit with an exception to Len, who seems to be annoyed and at the same time troubled by something.

But nevertheless, all of them went on the ice to finish their task as fast as possible. Thus here she was, already giving the last of the fliers she was holding. Shoko slowed her skating for a moment as she looked around for her friends. On one side Kahoko was holding both of Len's hands and appears to be guiding him as he tried to skate on the ice, keeping his balance. By the looks of it, Len is not that good in ice-skating; in fact he even has a larger tendency to fall down and get injured than her.

'_Maybe that's the reason why he was somewhat annoyed at first_,' Shoko thought. She remembered her first time learning and she will admit it was quite frustrating when she keeps on falling down.

Not far away, Nami and Manami were watching the two violinists with amused expressions. Shoko can only guess what is going on in their minds with that amused expression of theirs; especially since that violin romance became the sole issue on some gossips during the Concours Competition. Meanwhile, Ryotaro and Hihara were engaged in a game that looked like a combination of a race and a game of tag; both of them gliding swiftly trying to out-skate each other. Even Keiichi was enjoying too despite of looking like he might fall asleep any second.

Shoko sighed the third time. Apparently, she was the last to finish the task for the day; such a slow-poke.

As if on cue, Keiichi looked at her direction; his sapphire like eyes meeting hers. Then, unexpectedly the young cellist smiled warmly at her before looking away to skate off somewhere. Shoko found herself smiling slightly to herself as she glided to a turn; unfortunately colliding with another skater in the process. It wasn't Shoko's fault of course; it was the other skater's and luckily, the impact was cushioned by the other skater because she fell on top of him.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to -" she paused from her apology when realizing their awkward position. Shoko felt her cheeks grew hot, as she accidentally looked at the guy's stormy grey eyes. The guy, however, just stared at her blankly as if she just popped out of nowhere. Quickly, Shoko straighten herself up and bowed her head sheepishly, her voice extremely apologetic. "I'm really terribly sorry, sir."

"No worries. After all it was my fault," the guy answered with a smile then he winced. He tried to stand up but quickly lost his balance and on impulse he immediately grabbed Shoko's arms for support which caused the young girl to wobble a bit but she managed to remain standing on top of the ice despite of the extra weight clinging on her arm.

"Sorry about that," he mumbled as he let go of her hand, knowing he just added another awkward situation. Shoko watched as his eyes roamed their surroundings and it immediately zeroed on an empty bench; the nearest one from their location. The guy took a deep breath then slowly exhaled. Then after a few awkward seconds he looked up at Shoko and smiled sheepishly at her before saying, "However, I have a favor to ask from you."

Shoko gave him an inquiring look, encouraging him to go on. Honestly, this is the first time something like this happen. Though she knew she shouldn't be like this considerate and caring since the person before her is a total stranger, he might be a bad guy for all she knew, but something about the guy made her trust him right then and there. It was like one of that friendship-at-first-meeting kind of thing.

The guy gave an apologetic smile and pointed at the bench he was eyeing earlier, "Could you help me get to that bench?"

Since Shoko mainly believed that all of this was her fault for not looking where she was going, she nodded and helped the guy; supporting him as he tried to get across the slippery ice. As she was doing this, Shoko was completely oblivious that some of her companions were watching her with great interest - and worry, but mostly with interest. When they finally managed to get across, Shoko helped the guy on the bench; with much hissing and wincing on the guy's part. Once he found a comfortable position, the guy quickly examined his foot; wincing every now and then as he pressed his finger to some parts of his foot. Unknowingly, she stared at him; finally found the moment to examine his physical features. He is probably in the same age as she is and has the same physical body built and not to mention as tall as Keiichi -probably. His tousled silver-gray hair, which looked almost white, matched his stormy grey eyes perfectly; a glint of mischief and a hidden layer of something that Shoko guessed was sadness radiated from it. His skin was pale but it didn't degrade his overall appearance.

As she watched him, Shoko can't help but feel bad about it. .So did what she always did, she gave another bow and spoke another, "I'm so sorry, sir."

"No, it's alright. It's just a little sprain," the guy answered, his tone was reassuring enough that she almost believed it if it wasn't for his winces earlier. Her face must have said all that she is thinking for the guy gave a chuckle and gave her a smile, a small reassuring smile, "It's nothing serious, I promise. My cousins say I heal faster than anyone they've met. It will be better in a day or so,"

"But still -" she protested but immediately stopped. Though she felt guilty about this, she didn't mean to show her concern like that. She wasn't sure if it is right to be concerned considering the fact that he is a complete stranger to her. The guy was also surprised at her sudden display of concern as he looked at her with curious eyes, making Shoko uneasy.

"Sorry," she muttered, looking down at her feet.

"Do you always apologize?" he asked with his eyebrows raised, sounding amused

"I…it's just…" Shoko began but it eventually ended with a meek, "I'm so sorry,"

That made the guy laugh, making Shoko stare at him for a moment.

"You are a very interesting girl, do you know that young Miss?" the guy said with a smile, then extended his hand to her, "I'm Stephen Suichiro but you can just call me Sui or Step - whatever you prefer. May I know your name?"

"F...Fu...Fuuyumi...Sh...Shoko," she managed to let out as she shook the outstretched hand.

The guy smiled and nodded, "That's a nice name. Is it okay if I call you Shoko-san? Having stayed outside Japan for quite some time now, I kind of got used to calling everyone by their first names,"

Shoko looked at him for a moment as she replayed his words in her mind and it finally sank in, she felt her cheeks heat up ever so slightly but nevertheless she gave a nod as an answer to the young man's question. That seemed to cheer the lad too, for he returned the smile; visibly relieved that he wasn't slapped or something.

"I do apologize for bumping into you a while ago. I'm not good yet in ice-skating. My niece taught me a few days ago on the mechanics of ice skating, verbally. This is my first time to try it out," the guy, Stephen, added, sounding a little ashamed giving a sheepish smile.

Before she could rethink, her brain ordered her lips to smile back and produce a giggle.

"Fuuyumi-chan," she heard someone call behind her. Immediately, Shoko glanced around and saw her Kaho-sempai skating towards her direction, followed by Nami. Her two seniors stopped a few meters away from the two; a full blown smile was threatening to escape both of their lips as they watched the young clarinetist.

"Kaho-sempai, Amou-sempai," Shoko said in greeting and in slight bewilderment.

"We are heading off to get something to eat. Are you coming with us?" Nami asked, pointing her thumb to the general direction of where they were heading. Shoko followed that direction and found that she was referring to a small café just a few blocks away.

With the idea of drinking something warm, Shoko quickly nodded in agreement without even rethinking the offer. She then looked back at the guy to apologize again and at the same time say good-bye but just as she was about to open her mouth to say something, a man in a blue suit came running towards them.

"Master Suichiro, you shouldn't run off like that. You're not five anymore sir," the man said. Stephen gave him a laugh, a short playful one of that as if he made a friendly prank on him. "You're hurt sir,"

He gave the man a sheepish smile as he proceeded in reassuring him that the injury wasn't that serious and that he would be better in a day or so; just like what he told Shoko earlier. The man seemed to calm down a little but based on the tone of his voice when he advised that his master should probably treat it with something, it was clear that he was still worried. Shoko found herself smiling a little, the small scene reminded her of her own attendant when she was young. The man then bent low to say something to Stephen. Whatever it was, it quickly dampened the young lad's expression but that expression disappeared as quickly as it came. With the help of the man, Stephen got to his feet and walked - or rather limped over to the young clarinetist.

"Well then, I must get going. It is a pleasure to meet you Shoko-san," he said with a warm genuine smile. He took Shoko's right hand and kissed it gently before turning around to leave, limping as usual as the man supported him.

Shoko was frozen on the spot as she felt her face and neck grow hot and her heart beat faster than it should have. Did that guy just kissed her hand?

He glanced back at Shoko for the last time and smiled making Shoko blush immediately. The mysterious guy, Stephen Suichiro as he calls himself, got on a black car and after a few seconds it drove off; that's when Kahoko and Nami both turned their attention to the still flustered clarinetist and ushered her back towards their companions.

"What was that one all about?" Manami asked, immediately as the trio arrived. Shoko immediately blushed. Apparently, much to Shoko's chagrin, all of friends saw it. Even Keiichi looked fully awake for a moment.

"Oh looky, Fuuyumi-chan is blushing bright red," Hihara commented before Shoko could answer her seniors' question

"Fuuyumi-chan, who was that?" both Kahoko and Nami asked in unison once they started walking towards the café they pointed earlier.

"Is he a suitor? He kissed your hand! That is so sweet and romantic," Nami ranted in such joy that made Shoko blush even more.

"Eh…no. It's not like -" but her protest was cut short when Nami spoke again

"What is his name?" the journalist's eyes were wide with curiosity

"You're interrogating her too much Amou-san. She just met that guy a while ago. But, I must say, they do look cute together." Manami said with a smile

"You're making her blush more," Ryotaro said making the object of the conversation - if possible - blush even more.

"Yeah, as if that helped," Len scoffed but he a part of him was really amused, though he may not show it.

And they continued teasing the young clarinetist till they arrived at the said café.

And who didn't give a reaction? Yes that's right, our young cellist just stood there watching as his seniors continued to ask who that mysterious guy is. Truth to be told, he doesn't know what to say. In fact, he doesn't know if he can think of something to say. But he knew, he shouldn't care either since it's not his usual attitude to get himself involve with other people's personal life.

But still….and then there is that funny feeling again…but a little different. Maybe he should ask his onee-chan later about this, - if he remembered.

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That Monday, classes returned to its normal pace but of course, most of the students are inwardly rejoicing because it was the second to the last week of school before Christmas break. Finally, in a few more days, they will be out of school for vacation. Even the members of the Concert Committee are already planning their vacation as early as that day; after all, the concert will be finished by then. The concert will be on the fifteenth of December and that's their last day in school.

Therefore, it is finally freedom.

There were only a few things that needed to be done for the concert, and one of it is to distribute some leaflets/fliers around town to again to gain a large audience. To cover more ground, the committee is divided into three persons per group. The younger members are all paired to someone a year or more ahead of them so that someone will be able to guide them when they are losing self-esteem (on Shoko's case) or losing awareness (on Keiichi's case).

After distributing the leaflets, Nami asked Kahoko and Shoko to accompany her in finding a birthday gift for her younger sister. Since Kahoko had the day off from her violin lessons from Len and majority of the student body were already on their way home, she happily tagged along and when Kahoko agrees to go, Shoko will automatically go too. The three of them were like sisters; Nami being the eldest, Kahoko in the middle and Shoko as the baby sister.

"Have you picked something to wear for the concert Fuuyumi-chan?" Kahoko asked as they stopped by a huge rack of clothing. She started looking at some of the shirts before stopping and proceeded to look at the dress section.

"I haven't thought of buying one yet. What do you think will be suitable for the event, Sempai?" the younger girl asked

"I don't know. Something strikingly gorgeous yet suitable for the cold weather maybe? What do you think Amou-san?" the redhead turned to ask their other companion.

Nami wasn't listening to what her companions were saying for she was busy inspecting a pink dress with frills, ruffles and laces, "What about this?" she asked as she held it out for the two girls to see, "Hmmm?"

Kahoko shook her head in clear disapproval. Nami gave the dress another look then winced as if she just realized what an awful choice it was. Putting it back on the rack, she looked for another gift. Shoko went over another row of stuffed toys while Kahoko went the other way following Nami.

Since she is an only child and the fact that she has no nieces or younger female cousins, Shoko has no idea what to give to a little sister for a birthday present. According to what she mostly read in various stories, some of the ideal presents are dresses, toys and sweets but of course, that depends on the personality of the kid. She gave a sigh as she picked up a stuffed white teddy bear holding a heart pillow with the words _I love you_ on it.

"Shoko-san?" someone called from behind. Shoko quickly turned to the source of the voice and her eyes widen a little bit as her gaze landed on a tall stormy gray–eyed lad with messy white hair who looked half-surprised and half-amused when he saw that he called the right person.

"I didn't expect to see you this soon. You still remember me, right?" the guy added with a smile.

Shoko was taken aback by the forwardness of the question but she nodded anyway and replied, "Suichiro-kun, right?"

Hearing her reply, the lad gave her a cheerful smile and nodded; clearly pleased to hear that she hasn't forgotten his name. Unknowingly, Shoko let out a smile in response. Then she realized what she just did and felt her face grew hot as she started to feel totally uneasy, making her wish that someone else was with her but she did her best not to run to nearest post and hide.

"You remembered. Thank goodness," he said, still showing off his cheerful smile. Shoko felt a little rest assured at his reaction, there is something in him that can make other people feel calm and at ease, "You came here alone?"

Shoko shook her head, "I'm with…some…of…my…friends."

She looked at the direction where her seniors used to be but unfortunately, they weren't there anymore. She looked around, still no sign of them. That made Shoko's eyebrows knit a little, where did her seniors go?

Then she remembered something and before she could rethink, her mouth opened and asked something that even she didn't expect that her shy self would ask.

"How is your foot Suichiro-kun?" she heard herself ask. Shoko bit her lip and look down at the floor. Why did she even ask that?

Stephen looked at her for a while then smiled, which turned into a chuckle, "It's quite fine now. I told you it was nothing. I can even run now."

Shoko was visibly relieved. She didn't think her conscience would be at peace if she knew that he was still limping due to that little accident at the rink, "Thank Goodness"

Then a 4-year-old girl walked to them half-carrying and half-dragging two huge bunny stuff toys on both arms. She has hazel colored eyes and her honey blonde hair was tied in high pigtails. When she got near Stephen, she placed the two toys on the floor then tugged the lad's pants to catch his attention.

"Uncle Sui…can I have these?" she asked in a charming way, which made even Shoko smile.

"Of course but you have to choose one…" he told the young girl. The girl tilted her head as she looked at Stephen, as if trying to process what he just said, and then she looked back at the stuff toys.

"Shoko-san this is my niece, Amelia Jennice, but we call her Lia," introduced Stephen when he turned his attention back to Shoko. The young girl, whose name is supposed to be Lia, immediately turned around to face both teenagers. She looked at Shoko and smiled as Stephen continued, "And Lia this is Miss Shoko Fuuyumi, a friend of mine."

"Nice to meet you, Shoko nee-chan." The young girl said happily and gave an active bow, even though her Japanese pronunciation is not that good. After straightening up again she immediately asked in the same active tone, "What color do you prefer, Shoko nee-chan?"

"The blue one," she answered innocently and based on her slightly confused and surprised facial expression she clearly didn't expect that question coming from the little girl. Stephen couldn't help but smile at that.

"Alright, I'll pick the blue one," the girl beamed to her uncle.

"Why don't you go to Nanny Amy while I get this paid?" Stephen said, stooping down so his face is the same level with his niece.

Lia was obviously delighted at her uncle's words and immediately gave him a hug followed by an 'Okay' before sprinting to the nursemaid. Stephen chuckled lightly as he stood up, picked the blue stuffed bunny, and returned the other on a nearby shelf,

"Is blue your favorite color, Shoko-san?"

Shoko nodded sheepishly, "But I have other favorites too and…"

But she didn't get to finish what she has to say as her voice trailed off when she realized that Stephen was staring at her. That immediately sent her cheeks red as she looked down at the floor, "…uhm"

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to stare." Stephen said and gave Shoko an apologetic smile after snapping back to reality, noticing Shoko's uneasiness,

"It's just that…" then he trailed off then immediately changed topic, "So what do you play?"

"Eh?"

"What instrument do you play? You're a music student from Seiso Academy right?" Stephen asked, gaining composure once again.

"Uh, oh yes…the clarinet," Shoko answered lowering her tone as if she doesn't want Stephen to hear but nevertheless, the young lad heard it

"Really?" he asked clearly amazed, interest evident in his tone, "I hope I can hear you play sometime. You must be really good."

That sent an automatic blush on Shoko's cheeks. Now she was really fighting not to run and hide. She is not used to be given such compliments. She remembered when a group of guys complimented her and said that they will be fully supporting her for the rest of the Concours making her hide behind Nami after whispering her thanks. Stephen smiled then before he could speak another word, a man - the same guy from the day Shoko met Stephen -walked up to them a gave a polite bow

"Master Suichiro," he said in a deep serious tone

"I know, I know," Stephen mumbled. Almost regrettably he turned to Shoko and gave her another apologetic smile, "I better get going. It is nice to see you again Shoko-san."

He flashed another smile before walking away.

"Oh wait," he stopped in the middle of his tracks and turned to Shoko, "Before I forgot, I just want to ask, we're friends right?

Shoko blinked twice in surprise and involuntarily titled her head to the side in confusion, not expecting the question. This guy never fails to surprise her.

"Of course," she answered.

"Thank Goodness," he said sounding very much relieved.

Stephen then gave a smile, a relieved sweet smile that made Shoko blush automatically so she immediately ducked her head to hide it. Shoko inwardly frowned. Was blushing an automatic mannerism for her? If it was, well Shoko isn't happy about it. Many people are already misinterpreting her constant blushing.

"Well then I better get going…bye Shoko-san till we meet again," Stephen said before turning around and walked away with the man. Shoko just stood there and watched as Stephen went to the counter and paid for the huge stuff bunny.

"You still haven't told us his name, Fuuyumi-chan," Nami said from behind her making the girl yelp in surprise.

"Amou-sempai,"

"And it's starting to get a little unfair too. And, now that the thought is already brought up Amou-san won't leave that topic off," Kahoko said as she smiled at Nami while the latter gave Kahoko a defensive look

"I'm just…excited…and at the same time curious. I mean, the way that guy looked at you before…it's like…love at first sight." Nami said casually as if it is something normal to say then gave a shrug as she placed a beautiful ceramic tea set on the counter to pay for it while Kahoko and Shoko followed behind.

"Who knows, he might be your knight in shining armor." she added, looking cheekily at Shoko making the girl blush even more that she hid behind her redhead senior. Kahoko gave Nami a knowing smile then laughed

Since Shoko is the shiest one in the group, most of them are really quite interested when something 'romantically interesting' happens to her, like the incident the other day for instance. Even though Shoko gained many male admirers from the previous Concours, she doesn't seem to pay any attention to them or if ever some of them caught her attention, Shoko would immediately shy away and often hide behind her seniors and let them do the talking.

"So what's his name?" Nami asked

"Stephen…Suichiro…" Shoko answered

Nami looked amused at the answer as she patted her chin thoughtfully, "A half-heritage? This is going to be something worth tuning in for. "

Kahoko giggled, "You're making it sound like a soap-opera Amou-san."

The two of them laughed at the idea but since that, they stopped asking Shoko such unnecessary questions, after all, they don't want the young girl going home with all of those in mind.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

When Shoko arrived at their home, she immediately noticed an expensive looking car parked in front of their porch. Shoko raised her eyebrows slightly at the sight, she knew that her parents are out of town for a business conference but her parents never told her that they would return that day.

"I'm home," Shoko called out as a greeting as she closed the door behind her. A maid immediately rushed over, took Shoko's school bag, and asked if she is to take it to her room. Shoko nodded and thanked the maid before she headed to her parents' bedroom

"Welcome home dear," her mother greeted sweetly the moment she noticed her daughter standing at the doorway.

"Welcome back too, Mother," Shoko answered back happily yet politely.

Shoko's eyes quickly caught sight of some new dresses hanging on the dresser. Some of the elegant looking ones were placed on the manikin at the corner of the room. Shoko was used to the fact that every time her parents would return from a business tour, her mother would buy her new dress but seeing these numerous gorgeous dresses was enough to make her wonder. Her mother is already nicely dressed as if she is going to a party, her hair is also done and the only thing she doing right now is placing some finishing touches with her makeup.

"Are you and Father going out tonight?" Shoko asked curiously. Mrs. Fuuyumi smiled at her daughter, as she walked over towards her she took a beautiful sky blue dress with stylish laces and ruffles as its design out of the rack.

"Actually, my dear, a friend of your father invited us over for a family dinner," her mother answered. Shoko tilted her head to the side to show her bewilderment but her mother didn't explain further as she looked at the wall clock for the time.

"Oh dear, we are going to be late," her mother added as she frantically glanced at the clock; it was fifteen minutes after six o'clock. Mrs. Fuuyumi gave Shoko the dress with a smile, "I bought this for you. Try it on and start preparing we will leave at exactly seven o'clock."

It was just normal to see her mother fret about little things such as that but something tells her that this situation is different but being the kind of girl she is, Shoko obeyed and did as she is told, without asking any more questions. After taking a bath, she readied herself for the said dinner. It was just a friendly family dinner, what else could happen, right?

Shoko just finished placing her necklace when she heard a call from her mother that it was time to go.

Shoko let out sigh. She gave one last look at the mirror before finally leaving her room

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	3. Chapter 3

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

Shoko Fuuyumi is never that kind of girl who would stick her nose in a magazine all day to see what's new in other people's lives. Despite of being in such a socialite family status, Shoko is not used to staying in tune to whatever that is happening in the social world. However, whenever the surname de Faunte rises up from a conversation, Shoko immediately knows who these people are in the social and economic world. The de Faunte family is one of the richest European families in the world and they are the owner of one of the most powerful forces in the industrial and economic empire that almost everyone beneath their status are afraid to cross blades with them.

So you can't blame Shoko's rapid heartbeat, after learning that they were invited by the de Faunte family for a friendly dinner.

The ride from their home to the de Faunte Manor was a clean thirty minutes and as Shoko stepped out of the car, her heart felt as if it's about to jump out of her chest. She was definitely awestruck by the appearance of the place; it is luxuriously magnificent, to sum the description up. When people say that the de Faunte family is rich, most of them have no idea of what they are talking about - they are not just rich but extremely rich!

Shoko have no idea how her father became friends with someone as rich and influential as them

Two butlers opened the two beautifully carved doors as the head butler escorted them in. Shoko looked quizzically at the head butler for somehow he seemed familiar to her. However her musings were tossed aside by the spectacular beauty of the house, it is as majestic as it is in the outside. Shoko's heartbeat started to beat fast again. She silently prayed and hoped that she won't make a fool of herself on this one. Honestly, she was never good at friendly family dinners. Then as the atmosphere began to turn awkwardly heavy with the seriousness and nervousness that is radiated from every one present, a joyful shout echoed through the hall.

"Get him Anthony! Get him!" someone shouted with glee

A young lad with snowy white hair ran out of the hall on the left side of the staircase and continued to run down the stairs but kept his eye on the one chasing him.

"Arthur! Hurry up! He's getting away!" a boy around 10 years old with oak brown hair came running down the stairs, clearly chasing the young lad.

The head butler sighed and face palmed. Then a boy who looked exactly like the first one came into view, following the other in chasing the young lad. One could easily tell that these two are twins. Then another voice echoed through the hall.

"Don't hurt Uncle Sui!" a young girl called out. The first boy in pursuit jumped at the guy causing them to roll from the bottom of the stairs to the floor.

"Gotcha!" he called out in triumph

Shoko's eyes grew wide when she realized who the guy is. White hair and stormy-grey eyes could only be one person. It is no other than…

"Master Stephen," the butler said, though his tone was lower than the tone Shoko heard him speak of.

Stephen, however, was completely oblivious about the newly arrived visitors, making the head butler face palmed again, slightly shaking his head as his young master gave a laugh. Then the other boy joined the tackle as they pinned the white-haired guy on the floor, obviously not minding the newly arrived visitors.

"Alright, alright you caught me," he said but the twins didn't let go of him so he added, "Okay, okay let me up," and the twins did so.

"Here you go," he said and gave the twins two wrapped boxes, which they immediately opened revealing brand new PSPs, "You guys are getting fast. I hope you didn't damage it,"

"Cool! Thanks Uncle Sui," the twins said together in unison as Stephen sat, relieved that the twins let go of their death grip pin.

It was Lia who first noticed the Fuuyumi family's presence in the room. Upon seeing a certain visitor Lia immediately blurted out, "Shoko nee-chan!" then she ran down the stairs excitedly.

At the mention of that name, Stephen quickly tensed and glanced behind him. His eyes grew wide for a moment before regaining his composure and cleared his throat casually as he stood up, brushing some non-existent dust on his black suit in the process. He looked sheepishly at the visitors before giving them a polite bow.

"I apologize for not recognizing your arrival; forgive me for such a childish display of attitude," he said, glancing at Shoko for a moment then looked back to Mr. Fuuyumi, "Good evening and welcome to our home,"

"There is nothing to forgive. You must be young Master Stephen," Mr. Fuuyumi said as smiled and extended his hand for Stephen to shake.

"That's me but you can just call me Step or Sui, whatever you prefer, Master Fuuyumi." Stephen replied casually, "Just strip the Young Master title off. It makes me feel old,"

Mr. Fuuyumi gave a laugh at that.

Suddenly a not so elderly man appeared from the huge archway. He is tall with a normal physical built and was quite handsome despite his assumed age. His gray hair is combed back neatly and he wore a black expensive looking suit. Even at first glance, Shoko could sense the air of authority and power about him; clearly sending an automatic impression that this man is someone you don't want as an enemy. The man looked at his guests for a good two seconds and then beamed happily at them, stretching his arms wide open as if he is going to give them all a big hug. Shoko knew right away that this is the owner of the de Faunte enterprises, Sir Venard Benedict de Faunte

"My old friend! It's so nice to see you again," the man blurted out as he walked to Mr. Fuuyumi and shook his hand and then turned to kiss Mrs. Fuuyumi's hand as well, "….and also to you Lady Fuuyumi."

"Likewise Master de Faunte," Shoko's mother replied politely. Shoko knew what was coming next and hoped with every bit of luck that she had that night that she would just blend in and not get noticed by anyone. She was fully aware of the various gazes on her and its already making her uneasy. Much to her dismay, the de Faunte patriarch did notice her.

"And this lovely young lady must be your daughter. Miss Shoko, I presume?" the de Faunte patriarch asked as he turned to the ever so shy clarinetist, who nodded a little shyly at the question directed to her. That small gesture made the man chuckle, "So much like her Grandmother,"

Shoko gave a polite bow and in a rather nervous tone she answered, "A pleasure to meet you, Master de Faunte"

Stephen couldn't help but smirk, was she always that tensed and nervous?

Venard de Faunte nodded with a smile. "Such a fine young lady,"

Shoko immediately looked down as if she is ashamed to hear such compliment while Stephen raised his eyebrow slightly. Something was up, he can tell.

"Well then, let us continue our talk as we eat," Venard added, gesturing to the hallway leading to the dining hall, "Sure you don't want to eat our dinner cold,"

As Stephen was about to join the guests, the kids clung unto his legs as if they were afraid that he'll disappear if he went with them. Stephen looked at them, ready to say something but whatever he was going to say to the children, it was immediately lost when the three kids gave him a combination of different puppy-dog looks. Shoko watched as he gave a silent sigh in defeat. Shoko smiled a little at the incident, remembering her own nephews and how they would use the same trick on her just to get what they want.

"I'll meet you there after a few minutes," he said to his grandfather, who just gave him a cold nod as response and proceeded to guide his guest.

Dinner went on casual as Shoko expected. Not wanting to be involved in the adult's conversation, the young clarinetist just focused her attention on her food. After all, she was told that she should speak not unless she is spoken to. When Stephen returned, the only seat available is the one between his grandfather and Shoko. Mentally shrugging he went over and sat on the empty seat.

"Sorry for making you wait," he apologized when everyone looked at him as he took a seat to join them, "Please don't let me interrupt you,"

"Where are the children?" Venard asked, not looking up from his plate as he cut a piece of beef

"They're in my room…" Stephen answered, after taking his first bite and swallowed it he continued, "…watching"

The de Faunte patriarch gave the young lad a slight chiding stare for his actions. Shoko didn't know if that is what it really was or something else. Nevertheless, Stephen didn't seem to pay any mind to it. Shortly after that, the adults started their adult conversation, again. Stephen just silently continued eating but would occasionally glance at Shoko, who was eating slowly with a look as if she is trying to see pass her plate. There was a time when both of them both glanced at each other. Shoko's eyes would immediately dart back to her plate while Stephen would give a soft chuckle.

"When I said _till we meet again_, I didn't expect to meet you this soon," he said smiling, breaking the ice between them. That earned a smile from the young clarinetist as well. Then he leaned close to her and whispered, making sure the adults won't hear, "To be honest though, I didn't know my grandfather and your parents are such close friends. Grandfather said that he invited a family friend over for dinner but I didn't expect that he would invite your family."

"I …" Shoko stopped and let her voice drop into a whisper as she continued what she has to say earlier, "I didn't know that they were friends either."

That statement made Stephen laugh a little before he casually took a sip of his drink

"I guess you don't pry much on the social world, am I right?" he asked, Shoko gave a nod and Stephen replied that nod with a smirk, "I'm not fond of knowing much about other people's personal lives either, not unless they are the ones who insisted telling the story."

There was a not so long silence as both of them took another bite but then before Stephen could say something his grandfather beat him to it.

"Stephen," Venard called to catch the young lad's attention.

Stephen looked at his grandfather then glanced down at his food, to say that he is not hungry is huge understatement. He is absolutely hungry. Because he worked on some files for one of their company's branches earlier that day before taking his niece out for a day out, Stephen didn't have the time to eat a thing save for the hotdog sandwich they bought before going to the toy store but with the way his grandfather called him, he immediately caught what his grandfather is trying to convey.

But feigned innocence anyway, "Yes Grandfather?"

"Why don't you show Miss Shoko around the manor while we discuss a few important matters," his grandfather continued with a knowing smile.

It took most of Stephen's will power not to let out a sigh in front of his grandfather.

"Of course," he answered politely then gave a short nod of acknowledgement to Shoko's parents, "Excuse us,"

Reluctantly he stood up and held out his hand to Shoko, offering to escort her out of the dining hall. After making sure that the door is locked behind them, Stephen gave an exasperated sigh, muttered something that sounded like, "What am I a tour guide?", and pouted slightly. Then as if he just remembered that Shoko was there he immediately gave her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that Shoko-san," he apologized then sighed again, "He always does that whenever they start their 'serious' adult talk, especially when my grandfather's visitors have…uh…young companions."

Since she didn't know what to say at the moment, Shoko kept her mouth shut and let the young lad in front of her ramble on. In all fairness, it was quite amusing to watch the young lad like that. Then it struck her, an automatic sense of uneasiness made its way in her stomach. With Stephen being the Venard de Faunte's grandson, that would mean that the person in front of her, complaining like a child, is the heir of the de Faunte empire. She accidentally sprained the foot of the heir of such a large company.

"_Oh, no_" she thought as she subconsciously played with her fingers, "_I hope they didn't call us here to sue me,_"

"Honestly I don't know if there is a place in this Manor that is worth showi - wait," Stephen continued the he stopped, remembering something, "There is one that I think you might like but it's outside, are you okay with that?"

Shoko gave a slight nod

"Great," Stephen beamed, "I'll just check on the kids first. Do you want to tag along? The twins wanted to meet you."

Shoko just nodded, with not much of a choice.

They silently made their way to Stephen's room, passing by a long hallway where numerous portraits of the de Faunte family members hung proudly on the wall. Stephen explained that the portraits are hung according to the generation the members are born and occasionally he would mention some of his ancestors name and what made them memorable. It was like a museum exhibit for Shoko.

"My parents…" Stephen said as he gestured to a portrait hung a few meters away from a portrait of Stephen's grandfather.

Shoko looked intently at the portrait; the lady had long wavy silver-white hair and cheerfully bright golden-colored eyes, dressed in a lovely red gown that matched her pale complexion perfectly. The man, on the other hand, has oak brown hair and deep piercing dark eyes. Shoko looked at Stephen then back at the portrait before looking back at the boy again.

"You look like your mother," she stated in her normal shy tone. Stephen chuckled

"Yes, as I am often told." Stephen said with a smile and a nod, "My mother was a full blood Japanese. She was also a botanist, my father, on the other hand, was a marine biologist."

Shoko's brows meet slightly at the way he uses the past tense in describing his parents. Stephen seems to be oblivious to her curious look as he looked at the portrait then shrugged, returning his attention to the young girl, adding, "I don't know, my uncles told me they met because of their line of work."

"Was?" Shoko asked, regarding to how he described his parents. At first Stephen didn't get it but when realization strikes he quickly looked away, avoiding Shoko's gaze

"They both died when I was young. My Mom died due to a sickness when I was seven and Dad died in a car accident a few years later." Stephen explained, his face showed no emotion but his eyes showed a different story then he smirked as he looked down at Shoko, "That's how I ended up in Grandfather's care,"

"Oh," Shoko mumbled, completely clueless on what she is going to say. She wasn't good at giving comforting words to other people, especially in difficult situations like that, "...I'm sorry…I didn't mean to bring - I'm so sorry Suichiro-kun."

Stephen gave a reassuring smile as he shrugged looking back at the portrait, "It's okay. I can't reverse time now, can I? At least they are happy together up there."

Though he is smiling admiringly at the portrait, Shoko could see the pain and loneliness in his eyes. She can't imagine how his life turned around at the early age of seven. Silently they continued to walk down the hall.

Near the end of the hall hung a portrait of Stephen with the brown haired twins from earlier and Amelia. At the bottom it read 'Sir Stephen Randolph Suichiro von Dylan Kanade de Faunte with Sirs Anthony Louis von Dylan and Arthur Louis von Dylan de Faunte and Lady Amelia Eleanor Jennice de Faunte'. Stephen followed Shoko's gaze and when he realized that she was reading the caption below, he let out a sigh followed by a chuckle

"Imagine how hard and frustrating it was when I started learning how to write my full name. It won't even fit in a single line in the paper," he told her. That little statement made Shoko giggle slightly as she imagined the scene.

When they reached Stephen's room they were greeted by sight of three sleeping kids. Lia was asleep on the edge of the bed while the twins were sleeping on the ground. The television is still on and the end credits rolling, indicating that the kids slept before the movie ended. Stephen smiled softly and sighed. He turned the television off then proceeded to carry the kids to bed. He first fixed Lia's position then placed the twins beside her. Shoko watched as Stephen tucked them in, she couldn't help but smile at how caring this guy is; reminds her of her older cousins. After making sure that they are all snuggled up, Stephen closed the lights and closed the door.

"The twins wanted to meet you badly, you know" Stephen said, glancing at Shoko, who only just gave a small smile in response, "Shall we go outside then?"

Shoko nodded and Stephen led the way outside. They went into a huge greenhouse not far from the mansion. The temperature inside the greenhouse was warm due to some heaters, but that didn't stop the cold winter breeze from penetrating through. Inside the greenhouse, a pavilion is built in the middle of a small man-made lake; the pathway leading to it is decorated with some sort of flat shells that made it look like the sea shore. In the middle of the pavilion was a large glass table and stools and the whole place is surrounded and decorated by various species of flowers in different colors and other beautiful plants.

"It's beautiful," the young girl said in awe as she looked around.

Stephen gave a smile as he watched Shoko, "Father built this for my mom as a wedding present before they got married. My uncles said that it is a reminder of how they first met. It's a little cliché don't you think?"

Shoko smiled then eventually let out an unexpected yawn, which she quickly hid by placing her hand over her mouth and immediately apologized.

Stephen sat in one of the stools and looked at her with one eyebrow raised, "Am I that boring to hang out with or are you just sleepy?"

"No. It's not that. I'm just a little tired," Shoko answered sitting on another stool not far from Stephen

Stephen gave an understanding nod, "From school?"

Shoko gave a slight nod and yawned again, "What school do you go to Suichiro-kun?"

"Actually…." Stephen began, slightly hesitating but he continued anyway, "I don't go to school,"

Shoko quickly looked at him in both shock and bewilderment. If Stephen is the heir of one of the riches companies in the world then education is must, right? But how come he is not going to school. As those thoughts swam inside Shoko's head, Stephen immediately got the message of her confused and shocked look so he explained

"Unfortunately, Grandfather never trusted institutions to give his heir a fair education, as some of my former teachers passed me in their subject without letting me try much. So instead, he hired tutors and professors and home schooled me."

Shoko's confused expression softens at that then she diverted her gaze to the floor. She had her fair share of that experience when she was young. She tried homeschooling when she was little and truth to be told, it was boring. Compared to being in an actual school, homeschooling is like being in a cemetery. It was a good thing she managed to convince her parents to enter her into an actual school when she reached her middle school years.

"It must be fun to have actual school buddies and friends to hang out with," Stephen fortuitously mused out loud as he stared at the glistening water of the lake, completely lost in thought.

"Don't you have friends, Suichiro-kun?" That seem to drag Stephen beck to reality but he hid it well.

"Business acquaintances…lots," Stephen answered with a shrug, "But real friends not so much. In fact, I only have two. Make that three, including you, Shoko-san."

Then he smiled at Shoko sheepishly, "I'm so lame huh?"

Shoko was speechless, her gaze unknowingly held a sad and long look in them as she stared at the floor and let her thought wander. Now she knows how fortunate she really is apart from other people. She felt bad for Stephen, losing both of his parents at a young age is probably the worst thing that can happen to a child but being confined inside the four walls of the house without friends is what made it worst.

"Is something wrong Shoko-san?" the young de Faunte heir asked.

Without thinking Shoko answered, "You must feel lonely most of the time."

Upon saying that, the young girl ducked her head lower than before, slightly ashamed of herself for crossing that line. Who was she to say something like that? Shoko braced herself for a snappy answer but instead Stephen's answer came out differently

"Thank you for your concern Shoko-san." he said as he gave a primrose that he must have plucked when she looked down for she was clearly taken by surprise.

Shoko stared at flower for a while before taking it and looked at Stephen. He was smiling down at her, instantly making Shoko blush. There was something in that smile that she couldn't place. As if on cue, a gust of wind blew causing Shoko to shiver slightly. Stephen casually took off his coat and placed it on her like every gentleman would.

"We should be heading back; it's getting chilly out here. And maybe your parents are waiting for you,"

Shoko nodded and together they headed back at the mansion.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

When they made arrived at the dining hall, Shoko's parents along with Stephen's grandfather just got out of the room and they were shaking hands with each other, thanking each other for the time they've spent together.

"Right on time," Stephen said with an appreciative nod, mentally patting himself on the shoulder for his accurate guess. Still, he can't help but wonder why the sudden shift of events. But then again, his grandfather can be unpredictable most of time; like a typhoon or a volcano so it's best if one just go on with the flow.

"Thank you," Shoko said in her usual nervous tone, breaking his musings. Stephen glanced down at Shoko just in time to see her take off his coat and handed it back to him before then shyly adding, "And also, thank you for showing me around, Suichiro-kun."

The young lad gave an amused smile as he nodded then he gave a polite bow, like that of a butler wishing his mistress a safe journey. "The pleasure is all mine young Miss Fuuyumi. I hope I'll see you soon, Shoko-san,"

The simple gesture immediately sent the young girl blushing lightly; much to his amusement. After a few more goodbyes Shoko and her family left.

"How do you find Fuuyumi-san so far?" Stephen's grandfather asked as they watch as the car drove away

"She's interesting," Stephen answered rather absent mindedly. When his brain registered what he had just said he quickly turned to his Grandfather and began explaining, "Uh…I mean she's -"

"Good enough," he heard his Grandfather say as he walked away.

Stephen looked a little confused as he watched his grandfather's retreating form. Something was really up and he had a feeling his grandfather already made some unchangeable plans in his life once again. But then again, what else is new. Then a growl came from his hungry stomach, like a thunderstorm. Slightly groaning, Stephen made his way to the kitchen and see if dinner is still there.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	4. Chapter 4

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**CHAPTER THREE**

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The next morning, as usual, everything started in its monotonous pace; nothing much to say because nothing much happened during class periods. However, during their last class, the six members from the previous Concours were called for a special meeting at one of the music rooms of the music department. Happy to be excused from the boredom of being in class, though they won't admit it directly, all of them immediately went to the said meeting. Since Ryotaro is more than a block away from the music department building, he was the last to arrive but thankfully, he came in a few moments before their headmaster walked in with no other that their beloved mentor, Kanazawa-sensei.

An automatic greeting escaped the students' lips at the sight of their headmaster who just nodded as a form of response with his usual air of authority around him. The students are quite used to their headmaster's cold way of socializing with others, after all he wouldn't be Headmaster Kira if he acted hyper-smiley and cheery towards other people. In all honesty, that image would have been pretty scary. Before any of them could ask why they were called, Kanazawa began distributing leaflets to the students as Kira sat on the front desk watching emotionlessly as his students silently read the notice.

After a not so long silence, Hihara gave the first reaction.

"The Golden Notes Competition?" the light green haired lad asked, looking at the headmaster in astonishment.

The Golden Notes Competition is a contest held every ten years where musical prodigies from all over the globe are gathered and grouped into different orchestras. As an orchestra, the groups will then compete to one another until only a single group remains. The groups will also go on a tour in several selected countries as a part of the music broadcasting campaign of the United Nations. Four countries will be chosen for the elimination performances and in each elimination performance, every group is required to play a music piece that lives up to the contest's theme. Also, there are individual competitions, as well as other miscellaneous awards and contests that made the Golden Notes something worth watching. Aside from that, whosoever wins will receive huge cash prizes, as well as awards and privileges, and the opportunity to perform in front of the world leaders at the next UN Summit no matter what country the meeting is held.

"Yes, quite right," the headmaster replied with a nod as he stood up and walked over to the young musicians, "As far as you know, the Golden Notes Competition happens only once in every seven years wherein numerous orchestras consisting of musicians from all over the globe will gather and compete with each other."

"This year though, the contest will focus on the young musicians and that's why we called you here today." The headmaster added looking at each of the musicians in the eye.

And that was true. To make it more exciting for the young minds, this year the contest committee planned to make a few changes. Instead of gathering numerous adult musical prodigies, the contest will focus mainly on the teenage musical prodigies of the world and this year they added two more countries from the usual five-country tour to make it more exciting. Some of the tentative countries in the tour are Greece, Ireland, Egypt, New York, Mexico, Australia, and Thailand. The final performance is always held in London, so England will be the last destination.

"We will be the joining the Golden Notes Competition?" Hihara asked rather excitedly

"Yes you are," the headmaster answered, lacking the enthusiasm the trumpet player possess, "The six of you have been chosen to join and be part of the contest. The school is currently processing the documents you will need for the said competition. By the end of the year, you will all go to the main headquarters to start your tour. I will give you the additional announcements by next week, hopefully, so whatever questions you have now, save it for our next week's meeting. "

There was a long silence before Shoko's nervous tone sounded across the room voicing out the other's supposed to be questions.

"Is Hino-sempai not coming with us?" she asked in her tone sounding like a bell in the midst of the silence.

All of them looked at the headmaster in full attention - even Keiichi, who was sleepily listening to the conversation beside Shoko, perked up from his sleepy position. Kira, on the other hand, betrayed no emotion; his face was blank as ever when he looked at them and gave them his answer.

"I'm afraid not," he answered simply

"But she is a member of the Concours too. Only because she placed last in the previous Concours doesn't mean that you can just ignore her. You already left her out on that previous performance you asked us to participate," Ryotaro stated, sounding slightly pissed off; obviously not caring if the person he is talking to is the school headmaster.

Not so long ago, Headmaster Kira excluded the young red-haired violinist during an ensemble performance because of the reason that her current level wasn't sufficient to his standards. It was one incident that everyone hopes to avoid again.

Kira glanced at Kanazawa before turning his attention back to the young musicians, "I assure you, I don't have anything to do with the list of the participants. You can look at the official letter to prove it if you do not believe me."

The headmaster fished out a letter from his coat pocket and gave it to Shoko to read. The others, with an exception to Len and Azuma, leaned in and read the letter with her. There was no mistake; the red-haired violinist wasn't part of the said event as the letter clearly specified:

…_..And so the Committee wishes to invite the following child prodigies of Seiso Academy Japan to the participate in the said competition: _

_Mr. Yunoki Azuma, major on the flute. _

_Mr. Kazuki Hihara, major on the trumpet._

_Mr. Len Tsukimori, major on the violin_

_Mr. Ryotaro Tsuchiura, major on the piano_

_Mr. Keiichi Shimizu, major on the cello_

_And lastly, Ms. Shoko Fuuyumi, major on the clarinet._

There is an uncomfortable silence; every person in the room eying the other occupants. Shoko carefully folded the letter in its original form before giving it back to the headmaster timidly. That was until the headmaster broke the deafening silence with a fake cough glancing at Kanazawa, who took it as cue to continue whatever the explanation why Kahoko wasn't chosen.

"I know you love being with Hino-san," Kanazawa began with an amused look on his face as he watched the different reactions from the male participants from Hihara's slight blushing - well, Keiichi's expression didn't change much, he still looks sleepy even at that statement but something in his eyes became visible - to Len's slight scowl. It was a general knowledge to anyone who was involved in the previous Concours that most of the male members of the said competition are quite fond of Kahoko. He even agreed on a bet with Osaki and Kira that by the end of the year, one of the male participants of the previous Concours will propose to the red-haired violinist.

He resisted the urge to chuckle at that sudden recollection of memory, so to fight it, he just continued, "Though Hino-san's performance has improved quite a lot over the past months, her current level still doesn't reach the level the competition is requiring."

There was a deafening silence once again that one could practically hear a cricket if there was one in the room. But before it gets too long, Kira cleared his throat and spoke

"I also want you to rehearse with double effort starting tomorrow. Since there are six of you, it is better to rehearse first by pair and I think it would be best to pair you by year." He said in complete authority.

A scene from the training camp at Shoko's villa flashed in their minds at the headmaster's words. The room was filled with a slightly tensed atmosphere as the other Concour participants glanced - or on Kanazawa's case mockingly glanced - at Len and Ryotaro. Kanazawa nearly laughed at their facial expressions. One can easily tell that they are not happy with that idea but since it was Headmaster Kira who proposed it they have no choice but to go on with the flow. Kanazawa was sure every practice would start and end with an argument.

He then glanced at Hihara and Azuma, who were both watching their kohais with a rather amused expression. There was no problem with the bond between the two seniors so Kanazawa assumed that their practice will go smoothly. Then his gaze shifted on the two younger members. Kanazawa suppressed a smile. He could see it now, Shoko being too shy to start a conversation and Keiichi who, without a doubt, might fall asleep anytime, everything will be totally quiet.

"And also you must rehearse as a group at least twice a week. No reactions?" the headmaster continued but before anyone could say a word, Kira continued as he stood up, "This meeting is adjourned."

Since the headmaster made it clear that, there are no more further announcements, the young musicians filed out of the room after saying their good byes to the two teachers

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

The members of the concert committee gathered after class for a meeting. Manami, being the treasurer, was giving reports on the financial status of the committee. So far, they weren't lacking on funds, in fact, an anonymous donor gave a large sum of money for the concert; the only thing needed for it is the confirmation. Whenever someone would ask who the donor is or how large is the donation, Manami would just answer, "Only Yunoki-Sempai knows the answer to that,"

It was true, since Azuma was the president of the committee; he knows everything that is going on in his committee.

"And also," Nami began. She was the appointed as one of the secretaries of the committee along with Kahoko. As everyone turned to her to hear what she has to say, Shoko had a feeling that the news is something she will not like.

"After the charity concert, one of our sponsors invited us in their company's Christmas Ball and asked us to perform there," she continued with a wide smile, "The head of the company has rented a hotel for us to change into and some vehicles for the transportation. All that we have to worry is what we are going to wear in the occasion. Remember it's a formal ball not a teenage party, and please stick with the season theme,"

Shoko sighed. She was right; the news was something she definitely didn't like. Even though she was brought up in a high class family, Shoko wasn't fond of attending such fancy events.

"Are we really required to attend this Christmas Ball?" a girl at the back asked

"As Amou-san said earlier, we are performing in this Christmas Ball. The head of the company donated a large sum of money for our concert so it won't be right if we turned down such an invitation." Azuma answered politely in his ever-princely way that made the young girl who asked the question look down blushing.

"Yunoki-sempai is right. The performance will be as a form of our gratitude for helping in our charity concert." Len added, though his face didn't show any emotion.

There was a long silence.

"I think that will be all," Azuma said at last with a smile.

"And the musicians are all excused from their classes for the whole afternoon tomorrow so we will all meet in the conference room for a rehearsal," Azuma added before the students filed out of the room.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"I don't blame them. Though, I really what to join you," Kahoko said in a slightly disappointed tone after Shoko told her seniors about the previous meeting with the headmaster as they walked to the main gate. Though the red haired violinist tried her best to keep up with the others' level, she just can't reach it in a fast period of time. Whenever she excels on something, her companions will excel a level higher than the previous.

"I really wish you could come with us, Sempai." Shoko said looking down at the ground

A black car parked in front of the school gate when the two girls arrived there. The driver stepped out and opened the back door for his employer. Shoko bade her seniors' goodbye before climbing in the car.

"Do you wish to go somewhere, Miss Fuuyumi?" her driver asked once he got in the car

"No. Let's just head home now," she answered politely. It is always important to be polite to everyone, even if that someone is one of their employees. That was one thing she learned from her parents.

The driver nodded and did as he is told.

For the whole trip, the only thing in Shoko's mind is the announcement their headmaster gave. Of course she is happy to take part of an international competition and she was sure her parents will be happy to hear that too. In fact, she can't wait to tell them about it. Her mother will surely cry in joy while her father would keep repeating how proud he is. But what's bothering her mind is that, she would be the only female member there. Being with her female seniors made her feel comfortable when interacting with others; especially the male members of the Concours. But as it may seem, she will be on solo flight when they start rehearsing for the competition.

Shoko sighed. She wasn't that close to her male seniors, the only person she feels capable of talking to is Keiichi and he always tends to fall asleep. And then, there was her performance, compared to her companions, she was not much of a musician. Shoko sighed and glanced at the snowy street with hopes that, everything will turn out right.

At the Fuuyumi residence, everyone was busy preparing for something. Some of the house helpers were cleaning while the others were busy preparing delicacies and appetizing dishes in the kitchen. One noticed the arrival of their young mistress and took her bag from her. Of course, Shoko said her thank you and head off to find her parents.

It wasn't a hard task; she found them in the living room. Her father is talking to someone on the phone while her mother is arranging some fresh flowers, though it was rare to have some fresh flowers in that time of year. Shoko smiled at herself, she loved it when her parents are there with her in the house. Still with the smile on her face, she knocked on the doorframe to catch her parent's attention.

"I'm home," she said.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Fuuyumi looked up and both of them smiled in response. Mr. Fuuyumi immediately told whoever it was on the phone that he will call later for his daughter have arrived while Mrs. Fuuyumi put the flower vase down on the table and hugged her daughter

"Are we expecting someone, Mom?" Shoko asked after her mother let her go

"Yes we are dear," was her mother's answer.

Then at that moment, Shoko sensed something was different. Though her parents smiled at her when she came, her eyes were filled with something else. Mr. Fuuyumi motioned for them to sit on the couch across him and the two obeyed. At first there was an uncomfortable silence, her father seems to be thinking of something deep, his eyes on the table in front of them while her mother suddenly found an interest in staring at the floor. Shoko was about to ask if something was wrong when her father looked up and met Shoko's worried eyes.

"Shoko, we need to talk to you about something."

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	5. Chapter 5

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**CHAPTER FOUR**

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"I'm getting married?" Shoko asked trying to keep her voice even but her face showed how upset and shocked she is.

Well, who wouldn't be? Her parents just announced that she is engaged to someone she doesn't know. They haven't even told her the guy's name yet and they're inviting her fiancé over for a family dinner. It was just natural to get upset. They should have asked how she felt; what her decisions were.

"Not yet dear, just engaged," Mrs. Fuuyumi corrected, trying to calm her daughter down but to no avail.

"Still, it's the same," Shoko answered back, shaking her head.

It was a rare sight for Shoko to talk back to her parents in that manner, yet alone be upset at them for something. In fact, Shoko rarely gets upset or frustrated over something. At times she would just let it go and on some occasions she will find a way to solve whatever it is that is causing her to act like that or even try to understand the situation. This was the first time in so many years that she became mad with her parents but the situation calls it.

"Shoko, dear," her mother began, still finding the right words to say and at the same time forcing herself not to cry, "We won't be here for a long time and we want you to be taken care of…provided for,"

"I know that but -,"

"I know it's a bit early but we have no choice when we agreed," her father cut in then he heaved out a sigh, knowing he will regret the next part of what he is going to say. Shoko's eyes grew wide at that statement but before she could say another word her father continued, "You see, you were already engaged to this young man a few months after you were born, Shoko."

That was truly a shock for Shoko, all these years and they kept something like that from her. Shoko looked at them in disbelief; they have agreed to let her be engaged from the moment she was born. On impulse she shook her head in disbelief, "I'm what?"

Mrs. Fuuyumi sighed and took Shoko's hand, "You see, after I gave birth to you dear, I got really sick that they won't let me out of the hospital. So we stayed. They placed you in the nursery…they won't let me hold you. They won't even let me see you."

"The family business was not that good that time and in fact we were striving to prevent our business from getting bankrupt." Her father continued the story in place of his wife, "Nevertheless, we spend a great sum of money on your mother's medication. When she recovered, you suddenly got terribly sick. The doctors told me that you caught your mother's disease and if you did not undergo the same process of medication as your mother, you will die within a week."

Shoko looked at her father but her father won't look at her. His voice was slightly trembling as he spoke. Shoko waited from him to continue; this story was one part of her early childhood that she never knew until now and quite honestly, she doesn't know if she could stay angry at them or not.

"I was horrified, I was so close in losing you mother and I can't bear it if I lost you. I already loaned a great sum of money on your mother's medication, I tried to ask some of my business acquaintances if they could still lend me some but because of the previous amount I borrowed from them, they won't let me. Then there was one who was kind enough to pay for you treatment. In exchange though, if you survived and everything goes well, you will immediately be engaged to his only heir but the engagement won't be official until you are seventeen. I don't know why that man thought of such a proposal. He never answered whenever I ask about it. I tried to be stubborn but in the end, I had no choice; you were practically dying so I agreed and signed the needed documents. "

Her father was crying now as he told her the story. Tears streamed down his cheeks and her mother's reaction was more emotional than her father was. Shoko never saw her parents cry in her all her seventeen years, until now.

"Father -" Shoko wanted to interrupt but her father kept on with the story

"To my surprise, he hired the best doctors there is. In short, you received the best medication a high-class hospital could give. You recovered faster than your mother did and after a week, we are free to leave the hospital. All the hospital debts are fully paid."

Mr. Fuuyumi let out a sigh and shook his head slightly, still looking at the table.

"Over the years I thought I could pay my way out of that contract but no matter what offer I would give him, he won't listen. He kept reminding me of that contract year by year and more and more I grew anxious. He was downright serious with that proposal."

"The boy is a year older than you by now and I can't say anything wrong with him. He is a nice and remarkable young man. Very talented. The ideal kind of husband any girl would want. But I can't force feelings into someone's heart, right? "

He looked at Shoko in the eyes. To Shoko's surprise, she was crying too, though she only noticed it when a teardrop fell to her hand. She wanted to say something but she felt as if there was a lump on her throat, preventing her to speak up.

"I'm sorry I did something like that. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier too. How could I tell you? You'll probably hate me and won't talk to me as long as I live," her father said, "But, no matter how painful it is. No matter how many times you hate me for it. I never regretted signing that contract. Seeing you grow into the fine lady that you are right now is priceless. I just hope you understand my decisions, Shoko. "

With her tears falling continuously down her cheeks, Shoko stood up and hugged her father. She felt a pang of guilt for being mad at them earlier, though she was still upset about the matter, she was not totally mad at them anymore. After all, they did that for her own good.

If her father didn't do that, she would be dead long ago. She wouldn't have the chance to meet all of her friends right now and experience what she experienced.

"I'm sorry my dear," her father whispered as her mother joined the hug.

"I understand and there is nothing to be sorry about, father." Shoko answered

For a long while, the whole family stayed in that position. The warm moment was only interrupted by a phone call. Regrettably, Shoko felt his father break free of the hug. He smiled at her, wiping away the tears in her eyes with his thumb before kissing her on the forehead. Shoko smiled and hugged him again.

"Well, we better get you ready, they would arrive any minute." She heard her mother say as she wiped away the tears in her eyes, once his father stood up to answer that phone call.

"They?" Shoko asked, wiping the new tears out of her eyes as well.

"Your…" her mother trailed off in search for the right term but later on decided to use the obvious term on the matter, "…fiancé is arriving this evening to introduce himself. But, I guess it won't be a long introduction because you already met Young Master de Faunte."

Shoko suddenly felt cold, as if someone poured a glass of cold water down her back. She slowly looked up to her parents and repeated the last part of what her mother said, "Young Master de Faunte?"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	6. Chapter 6

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

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Stephen Randolph Suichiro von Dylan Kanade de Faunte glared daggers at his cousin for a long time as they drove down the busy streets of Japan. Their grandfather said that they were invited to a friendly dinner. However, little did he know, there was something else behind it. His cousin just informed him about the engagement his grandfather had set up and the dinner they are heading to, is actually a dinner with his fiancé's family. Stephen was used to his grandfather making decisions for him without even asking his opinion but this is just going far. His grandfather already arranged his wedding when he was a year old.

It was enough to make his blood boil.

"Looks could kill you know," Stephen's cousin said a little nervously. His name is Leonard Jericho de Faunte; age twenty-seven and a full blood French guy.

Leonard shared no physical resemblance with his cousin; one reason for it is that, like all of Stephen's close cousins Leonard are adopted. Both of Stephen's parents were the only child in their family and Stephen is oblivious to almost all of his distant related relatives since he hasn't been introduced to one. Even though they were just adopted, Stephen treated all of his cousins like brothers and sisters.

"You could have at least informed me about this meeting so I could make a good excuse not to go." Stephen answered, still pissed off about the whole thing.

Who wouldn't be?

"And have you running away while your bride-to-be is waiting for you, not a chance my dear cousin." Leonard answered with his eyebrows raised.

Stephen banged his fist down on the car seat, good thing it was made of cushion or else he would have broken is wrist, "I can't believe Grandpa did something like this. I'm just eighteen and the girl is just sixteen -"

"Seventeen," Leonard corrected glancing at his watch

"Whatever," Stephen said waving one hand dismissively, "The point is, we can't get married yet. I don't even want to get married yet,"

Leonard raised an eyebrow, "Oh really?"

"Stop acting as if you don't know stuffs like that." Stephen snapped

"Stuffs like?" Leonard inquired, playing innocent. He loves teasing Stephen.

Stephen raised an eyebrow, "You're pissing me off on purpose aren't you?"

Leonard held both of his hands up in surrender, "Sorry, I didn't understand what you were saying," he said with a smile, "Come on, stuffs like?"

Stephen groaned, rolling his eyes in annoyance but Leonard looked at him with his eyebrows raised, urging him to go on and say what he has to say, causing Stephen to sigh.

"You already found the right girl for you and you'll be marrying her two weeks from now. What I'm saying is, of course I want to get married but if I do, I want it to be for love, find the right girl, stuffs like that…." Stephen said looking down then his eyes immediately glared at his cousin and his tone turned from calm to threatening. "Don't make me elaborate it further."

Leonard raised his hands in surrender again but his smile continued to tease him, "Right girl eh? Like a certain female clarinetist with turquoise colored hair? What's her name again…Shoko? Am I right?"

Stephen blushed on the spot, "Wha - Who told you that?"

"The twins and Lia - well, mostly Lia. She told me how you 'enjoyed conversing with her' when you saw her at a store the other day." Leonard stated with a smile, making quotation marks on the conversing part.

Stephen couldn't help himself but grin at the memory, "Hey she's interesting…." He said though it sounded more defensively than he intended.

Leonard stared at his cousin for a while. As far as he is concerned, this is the first time Stephen acted like that about a girl. For years, Leonard and some of the de Faunte cousins has been trying to set Stephen up with a friend of his, Clarissa, but Stephen would just brush the idea off. This is actually the first he saw him blush at the name of a girl.

"_The others must know about this,_" Leonard thought. Then his brain returned to the present situation. Stephen was afraid that he would be engaged to a girl he doesn't like. That made Leonard smile.

"What are you smiling at?" Stephen snapped.

"Don't worry Step, you won't be disappointed. The fates are in your side - for now." He told his cousin.

Stephen gave him an odd look, wondering what he meant by it when the car stopped in front of a beautifully built house.

"Besides, you know what will happen if you disobeyed Grandfather's orders," he added ominously.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"They're here," Shoko muttered as she watched a black car stop in front of their house. She went to the mirror and checked her reflection again.

Even though she knew already who was going to visit that night, she can't help but feel nervous. In fact, knowing who it was made it the feeling worse. And this whole engagement thing is not helping either. She was sure Stephen wants her as a friend and not something more than that. Now, there is a 50 percent possibility that this whole engagement thing will ruin their friendship for sure. Shoko paused for a second, why was she even thinking that?

"Miss Fuuyumi, the guests have arrived. Mistress Fuuyumi wishes for your presence," a maid said, rapping lightly on her door.

Shoko was quite startled by the maid's sudden appearance. But then again, she forgot to close her bedroom door. Shoko sighed as she glanced once again at her reflection.

"Thank you for informing me," she answered politely with a smile to match despite her shaking nerves.

"You look beautiful, my Lady." The young maid commented, causing Shoko to blush automatically.

With one last glance at herself, Shoko walked out of her room and proceeded to the living room, where she expect their visitors to be. While walking down the grand staircase, Shoko was mumbling things with her head down; saying something to boost her non-existent courage. Her heart was beating so fast that she could actually feel the beats in her head. Thoughts swam inside her head with every step she take.

"Sh…Shoko-san?" came a shocked voice from below. Shoko stopped on her tracks and her eyes focused on the white-haired lad standing at the foot of the stairs, eyes wide in astonishment. Shoko could feel her cheeks grew hot at that moment.

Stephen immediately turned to his companion, "You mean she's…she's - please tell me you are joking," he said then his eyes darted back to Shoko.

Shoko was frozen on the spot, she doesn't know why but she is. She found it hard to breathe either.

"I'm not, she's your fiancée." Stephen's companion answered then he walked pass Stephen and went to Shoko, offering a hand to her, "I'm delighted to meet you Miss Shoko. I am Leonard de Faunte, Stephen's cousin. I'm sure it won't be necessary to introduce my cousin to you since you already knew each other."

He gave her an assuring smile and together they walked down the stairs. Stephen just stood there for a while, looking somewhat shocked at the idea that Shoko is actually his fiancée. After a few moments, Stephen finally managed to clear his mind and calm himself. He glanced at Shoko who was uncomfortable with something, and then he recalled his previous actions. Stephen looked at her apologetically but before a formal apology could escape his mouth both Shoko's parents entered the premises.

"Welcome to our humble home, young Master de Faunte." Shoko's father greeted the young heir warmly, shaking Stephen's hand in acknowledgement.

"It is an honor, Mr. Fuuyumi and a pleasant evening to you as well, Lady Fuuyumi." Stephen answered formally, as he shook Mr. Fuuyumi's hand.

"You inherited your grandfather's formality," Mrs. Fuuyumi said as Stephen kissed the back of her hand as a formal greeting.

That earned a mix reaction; a laugh from Leonard and a scowl from Stephen but that didn't seem to ease the awkwardness that Shoko felt. One thing is that Stephen seems to be avoiding looking at her since her parents arrived. With that, one couldn't blame her if she almost let out a sigh of relief when a maid approached them informing everyone that dinner was ready.

"Please join us for dinner." Mrs. Fuuyumi offered as she ushered the guests to their dining hall.

Everything went so formally after that. Only a few words were spoken. So to cut it short, almost everyone focused on then eating part. After they finished eating their desserts - the last part of the meal as some calls it - Leonard cleared his throat and turned to his cousin.

"Say couz, why don't you and Miss Shoko take a lovely stroll at the garden for a while." He said. Stephen immediately got the idea that the 'grown-ups' will be having a conversation they were not meant to hear so he looked at his cousin pointedly for quite a few moments before he finally stood up politely to take his leave.

"You are so like Grandpa," he muttered to his cousin.

"At least I don't look like him," Leonard whispered back, earning an actual glare from his cousin.

"Shoko, why don't you and young Master de Faunte take a walk while we discuss some matters," Mr. Fuuyumi said this time since Shoko didn't stand up.

That seem to snap Shoko back to reality for she looked at them sheepishly and apologetically before stood up, "I'm sorry, as you wish father…but you will tell everything to me, right?"

Mr. Fuuyumi was hesitant at first but he gave in anyway, "I will,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	7. Chapter 7

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**CHAPTER SIX**

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Since they can't go out to take _'a lovely stroll at the garden_' as Leonard had said because it was winter, Stephen and Shoko went to one of the music rooms to pass the time out while they were waiting for the 'talk' to finish. Stephen sat on a stool near the huge glass windows, staring blankly at the falling snow outside; completely lost in thought. Being the shy girl she is, Shoko just sat on the piano bench and since she doesn't know how to start a conversation in such an awkward moment, she just sat there cleaning her clarinet.

For a long time, there was an uncomfortable silence in the room that only the ticking sound of the clock can be heard. Finally, after a few more minutes, Stephen decided to break the tension. He heaved out a sigh as he sat at the edge of the piano bench. Shoko paused for a moment to glance at the snow-haired lad, anxious at what he is going to say.

"I'm so sorry Shoko-san. For everything," Stephen began not meeting the girl's eyes, "I've…no technically my grandfather did but that's beside the point…we have taken away your freedom because of this engagement. Just to let you know, I have no idea about this too. I am forced into this as you are. Leonard just told me about it a while ago on our way here."

Shoko didn't give an answer because she doesn't know what to say. As that old saying she always hears from her Grandmother says: if you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all. And that's exactly what she did.

"You are not happy with the engagement too, am I correct?" Stephen asked glancing sideways at the girl.

At that, Shoko looked down. Truth is, she doesn't know if she will be happy or not. She's quite disappointed about the whole thing because she is still young, a lot can happen in the years to come. But then again, when she learned that Stephen is her fiancé, she felt a little relieved; at least he is not a total stranger or a decade older than she is or a complete creep, as she often observed in movies. But then again, she doesn't know much about the white-haired lad either.

"Thought so," Stephen said, interrupting Shoko's train of thoughts, "I hate it when Grandfather makes decisions like this on his own without even consulting us."

All Shoko could do is stare, it was as if she forgot how to speak. She really wished someone else was with them at that moment; someone who knows what to do or what to say.

Then Stephen grunted, "But then again, even if he did open this topic up, usually we don't have a second say about it. He gets everything he wants. I'm so sorry Shoko-san."

Shoko has heard a lot of rumors from some of her parents' friends during friendly dinners about the patriarch of the de Faunte Family. People kept on saying he is a selfish, cold-hearted person who doesn't really care about his family and will do anything to keep the de Fauntes on top of the economical empire. Whether that is true or not, Shoko didn't dare to know much to find out.

Silence once again engulfed them as awkwardness began to reign once more.

"Do you hate me for that?" Stephen asked out of the bloom, looking directly at Shoko's eyes.

Shoko wasn't expecting that question, taken aback by the intense gaze he gave her. Her heart started beating fast; her brain began to panic and seemed to go on autopilot as she answered before she could stop herself.

"Huh? N...no….I don't hate you…" she heard her own shaky voice answer.

Stephen titled his head to one side, eyebrows raised and his piercing stormy grey eyes still staring at Shoko, a little smile forming on his lips, "So…does that mean that you love me?" he asked

Shoko immediately blushed crimson red, becoming more nervous and shaky as ever as she tried to reason her way out and failed miserably, "Wha…that's not what I meant…I do not hate you but I do not lo - no, what I mean is….Sorry…What I mean is -,"

Stephen watched her with great amusement. As she was panicking to explain her current answer, Stephen gave a warm chuckle, stopping Shoko from her babbling.

"I was just joking, no need to fret Shoko-san," Stephen said with a small smile, then in a low tone he added, "It's okay if you hate me. I understand the reason if you do."

"I don't hate you Suichiro-kun," Shoko said, still a little shaky but nevertheless she let a small smile grace her features, "In fact, I'm a little thankful,"

That caught Stephen's attention, as his gaze immediately settled on her. This girl really never fails to surprise him. Shoko, however, avoided meeting his gaze. It will just make her feel uneasy. But when, she realized what she just said and blushed again as she tried to give a reason for such a statement.

"I…I mean…if...if it weren't for your family, I would be dead by now," she blurted out, looking down on the floor as she said that, "So I guess that's what I'm thankful for."

Silence once again enveloped the room. Shoko wished she could sink in her seat because Stephen just stared at her, clearly stunned by her statement. Shoko mentally scolded herself, why did she even say that in the first place?

"You know," Stephen began, breaking the tension once again, "I was actually mad when they told me I was already engage but I ,somehow, felt at ease when I found out that it was you,"

Shoko felt her cheeks grew hotter than before. Stephen didn't seem to notice this as he continued, "At least, if we can't get out of this, I won't be stuck forever with someone I don't like. At least, I already consider you as a friend,"

Shoko felt her stomach do a flip. He sounded sincere. When she secretly glanced at him, Stephen was looking thoughtfully at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling; he was dead serious with that statement. Then he glanced at her and caught her looking at him with such a tensed yet curious expression on her face. Shoko, of course, quickly looked away, blushing again.

"How about you Shoko-san? Do you have some guy in mind? Boyfriend or crushes and such?" Stephen asked with a playful smile as Shoko, if it was even possible, blushed even more.

"…uh, no…not really," she answered.

"Oh?" Stephen said, not entirely believing, "You must have some guy friends that you like,"

Now that she thought about it, she really doesn't have someone in mind. Most of her friends are girls and the only male friends she has now are companions from the previous Concours and some childhood friends who are living in different places around the globe by that time.

"Anyone?" Stephen inquired playfully with a smile

Shoko shook her head because that was the truth. Almost all of her male friends from the academy have a crush on her senior, Hino Kahoko, though they may not show it and Kahoko is quite oblivious to their affection as well. For some reason, Shoko had to pause for a moment when she thought about Keiichi Shimizu. Sure the cellist admired and looked up to the redhead violinist but he is not intensely romantically perusing Kahoko the way the others did. According to some rumors from Amou Nami, the sleepy angel of the school has his eye on some girl, due to the fact that they heard his sleep talking calling someone 'the reason why he plays', though no one knows who yet. But that was just a bit far-fetched.

Stephen raised an eyebrow at Shoko but didn't press on with the topic, since he can sense that she is not comfortable with it.

Silence once again engulfed them.

Then again, Stephen was the one to break it.

"Tell you what Shoko-san, why don't we just play along with this engagement thing," Stephen said, Shoko tilted her head involuntarily to one side at that thought as she looked at him. Stephen stared at her for a moment then cleared his throat and continued, "I'll see if I can change Grandfather's mind about this. After all we still have a year till you are eighteen. Who knows? A lot can happen in a year. Let's just hope that fate's on our side."

Then he gave a dejected sigh, "And I think it will be best if you play along. Grandfather can be quite persuasive, I've seen how he arranged Leonard's engagement and I'll give you a fair warning, he always get what he wants and will do anything to get it. In your case, he will try to pressure your parents or your friends like he did with Leonard's fiancée."

Shoko gave him a quizzical look. Is the de Faunte patriarch really that kind of a person?

Stephen let out a groan of annoyance, burying his face in his hands, "Oh, I'm so sorry Shoko-san,"

Involuntarily Shoko placed a hand on his shoulder, though she doesn't know why she did it in the first place. Stephen tensed up at little then relaxed as he glanced at Shoko with a small smile, making the girl blush as she quickly returned to her original position. Stephen sighed and took her hand and gave it an assuring squeeze.

"I'll find a way to get you out of this, I promise." He said in pure determination

Again, there was silence and awkwardness.

And again, Stephen broke it.

"They sure are taking the talk seriously," he commented as looked at his watch. Though she tried to hide it, Shoko let out a small yawn, trying to hold it in thus making her eyes watery, "You sleepy?"

"A little," Shoko admitted sheepishly, forcing back another yawn, causing her eyes to go even more watery.

"Can you play a piece?" Stephen suddenly asked

Shoko blinked twice at the question, "huh?"

"You play the clarinet, right?" Stephen asked, then he lightly tapped the instrument with his forefinger, "And this is your clarinet right? Can I hear you play?"

At that Shoko hesitated. She doesn't even know how she got in the Golden Notes Competition. She wasn't that good yet in playing the clarinet and there are a lot of musicians in their school who can play better that her.

Shoko hesitated, "Well….I….."

"Please?" he asked and gave her encouraging smile

Shoko shakily lifted the clarinet to her mouth, took a deep breath, closed her eyes and played a melody; the melody she played during the 4th selection of the Concours competition. She played and played, letting the music flow from her heart and not her mind. Keiichi once told her that during one of their practices; the best works comes from the heart not from the mind. When she finished, she took a deep breath in and open her eyes preparing for the worse scenario she could think of but instead she was greeted with the sight of Stephen staring at her wide-eyed.

"You're amazing Shoko-san," he finally said still awestruck

"Same compliments, Miss Shoko," a voice said from the door.

Shoko immediately whipped her head at that direction and much to her chagrin; she found out that Stephen wasn't the only audience she had at that moment. There standing at the door was Leonard de Faunte and her parents. Her mother was wiping the tears that were starting to form from the corners of her eyes while her father looked proud at the skill his daughter have. Leonard too, was quite amazed with Shoko's performance.

"You're done?" Stephen asked his cousin, returning back to his formal aura.

"Yeah, we agreed that you won't be married until Miss Shoko is nineteen but you are still engaged, though we won't be announcing it in public," Leonard said nonchalantly putting one hand in his pockets, then smiled and continued, "For now…"

Stephen sent his cousin a not so obvious glare at that last part of the sentence.

"We wish you the best dears," Mrs. Fuuyumi said, hugging Stephen then hugged her daughter. Shoko knows this was too much to bear for a parent, as she have read and watched on movies.

"And take good care of my daughter too," Mr. Fuuyumi said as he shook Stephen's hand, "Don't give her any heartbreaks and promise to always make her happy,"

Stephen blinked a couple of times. Mr. Fuuyumi is actually waiting for a reply on that remark. Leonard faked a cough to hide the grin on his face as Shoko immediately bowed her head a little to hide her blush but her eyes were glancing at Stephen. Parents just don't miss the chance of creating embarrassing moments at the right time, do they?

"I…" Stephen began, and then glanced at Shoko, who immediately stared down on the floor. That made Stephen smile a little then a small wave of realization hit him. Stephen looked back at Mr. Fuuyumi and continued, "…promise,"

Shoko immediately looked up at him clearly surprised as a blush started to form on her cheeks. Stephen gave her an assuring smile in return. Then Shoko remembered the play-along deal they have earlier. Maybe this is the start of their little play. Shoko, with a huge amount of effort, smiled back. Leonard smiled as he watched the two and then he fished out a digital camera from his coat pocket.

"Now smile," he said and got a stolen shot of that awkward moment

Stephen snapped back to reality and glared at his cousin, "What was that?"

"Uh…a camera?" Leonard asked innocently, lifting up the said device.

Stephen's eyes narrowed skeptically, "Why do you have that?"

"Because I'm going take a picture, what else does a camera do?" Leonard answered back in the same innocent tone as he got another stolen shot.

"Since you're holding a digital camera it can take video clips as well," Stephen snapped, eyes serious, "Now answer my question, why do you need to take a picture?"

The others in the room watched the banter like a tennis match; looking at the person who spoke. Shoko can't understand why Stephen would be pissed at the fact that his cousin has a camera. But then again, it wasn't a nice feeling when people took a stolen shot of you.

"Spill," Leonard tensed up a little at the tone his cousin used, "Now,"

Knowing he can't escape this one, Leonard finally gave in. It was one of those: lie and face the wrath of Stephen Suichiro de Faunte when he founds out the truth or tell the truth and he might let you live situations. Leonard heaved a dramatic sigh, he was sure his cousin wouldn't try something embarrassing to get back at him because they were under a different household.

"Fine, Grandfather wants a picture. Happy now?" he answered

But that wasn't the end of Stephen's interrogation, "Why?"

Leonard held up his hands in surrender, "How am I supposed to know? Ask him when you get the chance." He said. Stephen could tell that he was telling the truth but he could also tell that his cousin is enjoying this somehow. Leonard lifted the camera again and focused it on the couple, "Now ready…1….2…smile,"

Stephen glared at the camera while Shoko was watching him with an amused look. Even Shoko's parents are trying to hold back their smiles at Stephen's sudden childish attitude. Leonard pouted at the image caught by the camera. He glared at his cousin while the latter gave an annoying smirk.

"Oh for heaven's sake Step, strike a pose and smile for the camera, will you?" he said. Stephen sighed as he obliged, seeing no way out of this argument but to agree. He stood near Shoko and casually placed on hand inside his pockets. Leonard beamed, "There perfect, now SMILE, 1, 2, 3"

After three continuous shots from the camera, Leonard gave a satisfied smile. He bowed to Shoko and then turned to Shoko's parents for a final talk as they walk towards the main door. The black limousine along with the driver was already waiting for them outside.

"Forgive my cousin," Stephen said looking at Shoko apologetically, "He has lost something up here. His brain I think,

Shoko smiled, "That's okay,"

"I heard that," came Leonard's muttered reply as he walked pass them but instead of answering back, Stephen just rolled his eyes and decided to ignore his cousin.

"Remember what I said, play along. I'll try my best to fix this," Stephen reminded before Shoko could even say a word.

"Stephen," Leonard called, turning all attention to him.

It was time for them to leave. Stephen once again casted Shoko an assuring smile then he bent down and kissed her right hand like he did when they first met, "Don't worry Shoko-san,"

Shoko blushed, not really that surprising, but with the way he kept assuring her that he will save her from this engagement, somehow, it felt funny. Funny, meaning she doesn't know how to describe it.

"Uh…Suichiro-kun," Shoko said just when Stephen was about to step out of door. He and his cousin looked at her with curious eyes. Shoko bowed in gratitude then when she returned to her upright position she smiled, a genuine smile that caught the two visitors by surprise.

"Thank you, Suichiro-kun,"

Leonard smirked teasingly at his cousin as he walked away from the two. Stephen, this time, let that teasing smile pass as he turned to Shoko and smiled at her, as if that's his way of saying 'you're welcome,'

"Till the next time we meet, Shoko-san" he beamed

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	8. Chapter 8

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

The next day, Shoko wasn't herself. She didn't get enough sleep. Though she wasn't sure of the reason, it has something to do with the events in the past days. As far as she heard, nothing could change the decisions of the de Faunte patriarch and there are some family friends to prove that, so she wasn't sure how Stephen could convince his grandfather; but still there is no harm in hoping. That aside, there are some things she needs to worry about. Somehow, she has been receiving threatening text messages from persons who knew that she was chosen for the Golden Notes Competition. Honestly she didn't even know how they got her number but they sure are not having mercy on the young girl with the ways they threaten and criticize her.

During class hours she could hear whispers, some in admiration and others - not so much from her fellow classmates. Then on her way to the conference room she had a ran-in with three seniors who were obviously not happy with her being in the said competition and started saying things that were really not nice to repeat. However, amazingly, Shoko managed not to break down in front of them. Nami once told her that breaking down in front of those who want to bring her down will only make them feel they are right.

However, as she put on her brave face, her emotional state is not in the best circumstances. With these thoughts flooding her mind, she had trouble focusing on certain things. She was heading towards the conference room as she was musing over these things and when she came across an intersection of halls, she didn't notice that two other students were going around the bend as well. As expected Shoko bumped on the guy nearly causing her to fall on the floor; that when she snapped back to reality. Fortunately the guy caught her by the arm to steady her.

"Careful," the guy said, clearly alarmed and confused

"I'm so sorry…" Shoko quickly muttered an apology then she looked up at the person who steadied her. She immediately blushed when she realized who he was, "Hihara-sempai…Sorry…I'm so sorry,"

"It's alright Fuuyumi-chan," the lime haired trumpet player said, smiling reassuringly but then his tone became concerned, "But you need to be more careful next time or you'll hurt yourself"

Shoko ducked her head, a little ashamed of her actions, "I'm so sorry,"

"Heading towards the conference room?" the trumpet player asked. Shoko nodded her head. At that response, Hihara grinned, letting out that assuring feeling that all of his fan girls love, "Alright, we can go together,"

Since the walk to the conference room was not that far, silenced reigned between them - well not really complete silence, since Hihara was whistling some sort of melody or would occasionally ask her or his companion some random questions. When they got there, Shoko immediately placed her case on a nearby table and sat on a stool.

Maybe it was a bad idea to come to school at this state. Then before she could notice it, she was already going back to her musings, cutting herself away from the world - totally oblivious.

"Fuuyumi-chan…." Kahoko called gently but got no response from the clarinetist. Seeing that, she walked over her and shook her shoulder, "Fuuyumi-chan…."

The clarinetist looked up in confusion, as if she just realized that her senior was standing there. Kahoko casted a worried look at the young girl, "Are you alright Fuuyumi-chan?"

Shoko nodded hesitantly, "I'm fine,"

Kahoko looked hesitantly at her kohai then she said what she intended to say to her when she approached her, but a little hesitantly now that she saw her current stage, "We are about to start the rehearsal…"

"Oh my …" she muttered as realization crept on the young girl's face as it turned red. She quickly got her instrument, rather clumsily, and went to her place, "I'm so sorry"

Manami casted the young girl a worried look as well as the others, but she was the one who voiced out their thoughts, "Are you sure you're okay Fuuyumi-san?"

Shoko blushed and nodded.

Rehearsal started immediately after that. No one dared to pry on what was going on inside Shoko's mind - no one dared to voice it out loud, that is. But as she started to play along, her mind started fleeting somewhere until a thought came to her mind as a phrase replayed inside her head like a recorder,

"_You know, I was actually mad when they told me I was already engage because I have a certain someone in mind but I ,somehow, felt at ease when I found out that it was you. At least, if we can't get out of this, I won't be stuck forever with someone I don't like."_

She didn't even know the piece was finished but she stopped immediately after the others stopped. It was one of those musical instincts, as some said. She was brought back to the real world at the sound of Osaki-sensei's applause.

"That was great everyone," he said then his eyes shifted to our young clarinetist, "Though Fuuyumi-san you were losing control of your tempo a while ago. Is something bothering you Fuuyumi-san?"

Shoko immediately shook her head, her face turning red. She immediately ducked her head as she gripped her clarinet tighter. Everyone close to her gave her a worried look. Even Keiichi seems to forget his sleepy aura and looked at her worriedly. Though she continued denying it, something was wrong.

"Sorry…" she muttered.

Thankfully no one opened that topic again, much to Shoko's relief.

After the rehearsal, everyone was free to go home, except for the officers of the committee because they were doing some finishing touches for the concert scheduled to be performed two weeks from that day.

"Fuuyumi-chan," the redhead violist called out as she ran towards Shoko, who was about to go home since she is not an officer.

Much to her relief the young girl was back in reality, "Hmmm?" she asked, turning around

"Are you sure you're alright? You've been spacing out quite a lot," Kahoko asked worriedly as she gripped Shoko's arm.

"I'm fine," Shoko answered, reassuring her a little.

Kahoko looked at her doubtfully then she smiled, "We are heading to town to distribute more leaflets while the rest settle some negotiations for the concert. Do you want to tag along?"

Shoko smiled back and nodded, "Of course, I'd be happy too,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

The trip to town went on well as everyone expected. Shoko seems to lighten up a bit though at times she would space out. Of course, unknown to her, everyone is concerned about her sudden change of mood. As they piled out of the limo, owned by Azuma of course, Manami tapped Kahoko on the shoulder her eyes lingering on Shoko, who was with Ryotaro and Keiichi, listening to a story Hihara was talking about.

"Fuuyumi-chan sure is acting weird lately. Though she continues to deny it, it's quite obvious that she is upset over something." Manami said, "Do you have any idea what it is?"

Kahoko looked and shook her head dejectedly. Azuma let everyone leave their instruments inside the limo since it wasn't necessary to parade around the town with those heavy cases (especially Keiichi).

Then something caught her eye; a girl was standing near a lamp post. But that's not what caught her attention. It was the fact that she wasn't wearing her winter clothes and she was crying. Kahoko glanced at Manami but she wasn't beside her anymore for she had joined the other group in Hihara's story telling session. Shrugging a little, Kahoko approached the girl. When the girl noticed Kahoko approaching she immediately wiped her tears and put on a brave face.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Kahoko asked gently as she bends on her knees so they were on the same eye level. The girl didn't reply but instead she stared at her, "Are you hurt?"

Still no answer but Kahoko asked on, "Are you lost?"

Still the girl didn't give an answer. Kahoko sighed, wondering what's wrong.

"I don't think the girl can understand you sempai," Keiichi said as she walked towards her.

"No wonder she won't respond," Kahoko said, a little frustrated that she didn't even realize that. Maybe this girl speaks a different language since she doesn't look like a typical Japanese girl.

"I think she needs help," Keiichi stated in his usual sleepy manner.

The girl looked up then did some sort of gestures with her hands, in hopes that someone will understand her; "_I can't find my Mommy_," she told them through the gestures, unfortunately no one had no idea what she did - except one.

Shoko immediately noticed those hand gestures. When she was young she is not that familiar with the sign languages used by the deaf and the mute but after growing up with a deaf cousin, she managed to learn it. Despite of her natural shyness, Shoko went to the young girl and did some hand gestures to comfort the young girl. The action, of course, earned confused looks from her companions.

"_Don't worry; we'll help you find your Mommy." _Shoko said though the gestures

The girl's face lit up with joy and hope, _"You will?"_ she gestured back

Shoko nodded and did a couple of gestures again, _"We'll try our best. How did you get separated?"_

"_My family and I are from Spain and went here to visit some relatives. My mother and I were going to a store together but then I let go of her when I saw a bunny display in one of the stores. I looked at it for a moment then I went looking for my Mom. I thought I saw her so I followed a certain woman but as it turns out, she wasn't my Mom."_ Then the girl shrugs sadly, _"That's how I ended up here. I'm Marie by the way."_

Shoko smiled, "_I'm Shoko. We'll help you, don't worry."_

Then Shoko stood up and turned to her companions. When she noticed their confused and bewildered looks, Shoko immediately bowed her head shyly, "She was separated from her mother after following someone she thought was her mother. They're from Spain and just visiting here for the holidays." she explained a little nervously though she doesn't know why.

"How did you learn stuffs like that Fuuyumi-chan?" Hihara asked, clearly surprised at what his kohai did.

Shoko gave an automatic blush she always shows as she bowed her head a little lower, "I have a cousin who is deaf also. I guess I just learned sign language as I grew up with him."

"That's amazing Fuuyumi-chan." Hihara exclaimed; his expression showed that he is clearly amazed. After all, not all people know how to communicate through sign languages.

Shoko blushed even more as she looked down. The girl went to Shoko and tugged her hand gently, looking at her with a mix expression of curiosity and fear. Shoko immediately got what the girl was trying to convey; she was scared of strangers and being deaf made it worst since she cannot understand them.

Shoko gave the girl an assuring smile as she said _"Don't worry they're friends," _to her in sign language.

The girl smiled then waved happily at the group.

This time Len, Azuma and some of the members of the committee approached them. The girl immediately clung to Shoko as she eyed each person.

"Let's go and take her to a police station. Surely her mother would have reported to the authorities about her missing child." Len said, after learning what the situation is from Kahoko.

Azuma nodded in agreement and so did the others.

"Fuuyumi-san and Shimizu-kun can handle this. They can take the child to the police office on their own," Azuma said before anyone could move or even voice out a suggestion. Now, everyone is casting him curious looks, especially Shoko and Keiichi. Azuma looked at them apologetically as he continued what he has to say, "I apologize but I'll need my officers for the last negotiation. This company is, how shall I describe it… a little scarier since the owner of the company will be seeing us in person."

"I'm sure our kohais won't mind," he added with a small smile. Of course the two won't mind, not when the situation is explained like that.

"Its okay, Yunoki-sempai." Shoko said after a while.

Azuma gave his princely smile at that answer, "Great, we'll meet you in front of the local library."

Then he turned around and began to walk away from the two young musicians as the others followed his actions. Kahoko gave Shoko a smile before turning her back to join the others while Hihara ran beside Azuma.

"Say, Azuma, why did you say this last company is scary?" Shoko heard him ask, Hihara is one of those people who sometimes don't know how to minimize the volume of their voice.

"Because it's one of the most powerful companies in the economical world…." Shoko never heard the end of that sentence for someone yanked her away from her concentration.

"Fuuyumi-san," Keiichi called her attention calmly as he lifted the young girl up in his arms. Marie already took a liking at Keiichi, "Shall we go then?"

"Ah, right. Sorry," Shoko answered, feeling a little ashamed of herself for eavesdropping.

"She's trembling," Keiichi stated.

At that note, Shoko immediately took off her yellow blazer and covered the shivering girl. From afar, when one just happens to pass by and sees them, one might conclude that they are a young couple with their little girl.

The girl smiled and did a gesture which means _"Thank you,"_

Silently they walked towards the police station, which was luckily not far from where they are currently at. From time to time the young girl would ask questions and Shoko will answer them and if the questions are for Keiichi, Shoko would act as the translator. When they arrived at the police station they were greeted by the desperate pleading of a woman. She was about thirty or thirty three years old with short auburn hair and slightly plump figure. Beside her was a man; about the same age as the woman and his hair is caramel brown. And by the looks of it, they were slightly starting to irritate the police in charge.

"Please she's deaf and she's just a child," the woman said. Shoko and Keiichi exchanged glances at one another. This must be the little girl's parents, if they are not mistaken. But unfortunately, no one seems to notice the two students who just walked in carrying a missing child.

"I'm sorry but you just have to wait for a while. There are a lot of missing persons too." The police said calmly.

"_How could you lose our daughter like_ _that_?" the man nearly shouted to the woman in Spanish, not caring how many people are watching them. He probably doesn't care since there is a possibility that no one could understand him. Or maybe it was the pressure, worry and frustration he was feeling at the moment.

"_I thought_ _-_," the wife tried to reason out in the same language but she was immediately cut off by the man who pointed a finger accusingly at the woman.

"_What kind of mother are you?_" the husband yelled again.

"_They're fighting again, right?" _the little girl asked

Shoko nodded a little hesitantly since she only knows little about the Spanish Language. The girl bit her lip, like she was trying not to cry as she snuggled close to Keiichi. The cellist looked at Shoko in surprise, as if trying to ask 'what do I do now?'

This is the first time the young clarinetist saw the sleepy angel of the school fully awake.

"_Are they always like this?"_ Shoko asked,

"_Not always but whenever they fight, Mommy or I will always end up in trouble." _The girl answered

That's when they got noticed. The man was about to leave so when he turned around he saw his daughter being carried by a young lad in a school uniform, "Marie!"

The woman immediately turned around and rushed to the two young musicians, "Oh thank you for finding her. Thank you so much,"

The woman took the young girl in her arms and hugged her close as if the young girl will disappear any minute. After a while, the woman loosens her hug around the young girl and this time the man carried the girl in his arms. The two musicians watched the scene with a smile, not knowing what to say.

"_Thank you for everything," _the girl gestured as her parents turned to leave.

"_You're welcome,"_ Shoko answered,

They were about to leave too when a fake cough interrupted them from behind. They both turned to look at the police who was talking to the parents of the young girl a while ago.

"Thank you for bringing the young girl to the station," the police said with a smile.

"Oh, it was nothing," Keiichi answered, back to his normal sleepy tone and facial expression.

"The parents of the child already gave a sum of money to us to give out as a reward to the person who found their child. So here," the police explained as he placed a not so thick pile of folded paper, "$ 1000.00 all in all,"

Both musicians looked at each other.

"We couldn't possibly take that money sir," Shoko started a little shyly,

"Why not?"

"All we wanted was to bring the girl back to her parents and nothing more," Keiichi said, "If you want, you can donate the money to someone who needs it the most,"

"I agree with that," Shoko added with a nod

The police smiled then he stood up and walked to a donation box at the entrance of the building. Both musicians realized that this was one of their own donation boxes for the concert.

"You are both go to the school that is holding that charity concert, am I correct?" the police said while the two just nodded. After seeing the answer, the police smiled and dropped the money inside the box, "There, properly donated,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"Are you alright Fuuyumi-san?" Keiichi asked as they headed towards the local library.

"I'm F…fine," Shoko stammered, looking down.

'_Here we go again_,' she thought, subconsciously biting her lip to ease her uneasiness.

"You don't look fine." Keiichi said, eyes focused straight forward, not even bothering to look at her. Though he sounded like his usual self, the way he said the sentence was different; somehow it sounded frank.

Shoko felt her heartbeat racing. This must not be good. She never heard the young cellist that straight forward before.

"Though you keep on denying it, there is something bothering you Fuuyumi-san." He stated, "We understand if you don't want to tell us. Some problems are not meant to be shared. However, there are problems that can be solved when they are shared."

Shoko was speechless; she totally had no idea on what to say.

"Don't ever forget that you have friends who are willing to lend you a helping hand in the best way they can," Keiichi said calmly then he flashed her a smile; his famous angelic smile that made so many his fan girls swoon.

"So don't ever forget that we are always here to help you in whatever problems you have as long as you are willing to share it." he added

"Shimizu-kun…" Shoko stammered, her face turning red, and then she smiled back bowing a little to show her gratitude, "Thank You,"

Keiichi Shimizu froze for a moment at the sudden gesture from the young clarinetist then after a few moments he smiled again.

And again that feeling came….

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	9. Chapter 9

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**CHAPTER EIGHT**

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When Shoko arrived home, she immediately noticed that her parents' car was not there. Shoko tilted her head to the side in slight confusion still looking at the empty space where the car used to be parked as she opened the front door. She didn't know her parents have an appointment that day. Usually they would tell her.

Setting that thought aside, she went inside the house and was immediately greeted by Miyuko, the head maid of the Fuuyumi household. Miyuko served the Fuuyumi Family even before the young clarinetist was born. She served as Shoko's Nanny every time her parents are away on business trips and such. When Shoko finished middle school, Miyuko was asked to take care of two of Shoko's cousins. Now she was given the chance to spend the season holidays with Shoko's family.

"Welcome home Sho-chan," Miyuko greeted as she took Shoko's school bag and instrument case, a gesture she always does whenever the young mistress comes home and only Miyuko calls her Sho-chan. It's like Miyuko's given nickname to Shoko when she was young.

"Your parents went away for a while but don't worry, they'll be back soon." Miyuko said. Shoko only nodded as a form of response.

"Oh and you have a visitor in the living room," Miyuko added as she started going up stairs to place her mistress' belongings in her room.

Shoko's eyebrows met in slight confusion but decided not to ask questions anymore so she just nodded and went to the living room. There, standing near the fire place with his back facing her, is a teen - a white haired teen wearing a red sweatshirt and jeans.

Shoko felt her heart sank to her stomach as her heart beat started to go fast. This was not the perfect time for him to visit.

"Suichiro-kun?" she said, calling the young lad's attention

"Welcome back Shoko-san," Stephen greeted without even looking at her. For the reason, he was busy looking at a framed photograph placed on top of the fire place. Then after a while he turned around to face her, but his eyes were still looking at the picture frame he is holding.

"I have to say, you look cuter when your hair is long. Why did you ever -" he stopped when he looked at her and noticed something different immediately, "What's wrong?"

Shoko began to tense up inside as shook her head immediately, "Nothing,"

Stephen raised an eyebrow and looked at her doubtfully, eyes still full of concern, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," Shoko answered,

Stephen looked at Shoko directly in the eye. His piercing stormy-grey eyes stared at her own golden orbs in such intensity that if it was possible, he could see her very mind and soul; making Shoko want to break down and hide.

"You don't look fine," he stated, in a rather blunt way.

Shoko didn't tense up that time for deep insider, she was starting to panic. She sat on the couch, using it as a sort of excuse to look away from Stephen's piercing gaze.

"Something is making you upset," Stephen continued sitting down opposite of her but his eyes never left her. Unfortunately, Shoko made the mistake of looking at him again. Once again she saw his stare and this time it was mixed with a slight tinge of anger, making Shoko uneasy as ever.

"Is this about the engagement?" he asked, a little hesitantly.

"No," Shoko lied. Stephen didn't give an initial reaction; he just stared at her.

Shoko bit her tongue. She knows she is a bad liar and the way her cousins would constantly state that fact is a proof. In her mind she was praying that she sounded convincing enough for Stephen to believe. Of course, Stephen doesn't need to know about the reason behind her current state. She doesn't want to hurt or even worry him.

"Did something bad happen in school?" Stephen asked again, his face was still showing no emotion; just a blank expression.

"No," Shoko answered shaking her head a little as she look down, another lie.

Then her body tensed a little and felt as if her stomach did a back flip when a cold hand touched her forehead in a way a parent would do when they were checking their child's temperature. Shoko blinked a couple of times as Stephen pulled his hand away and sat beside her.

"Your temperature seems fine," he stated as he rested his back and tilted his head up to look at the light hanging in the ceiling.

"I'm fine Suichiro-kun," Shoko said, still hoping that she sounded convincing enough, "Maybe I'm just tired,"

"Maybe," Stephen answered flatly, still looking at the ceiling, "Well, something is really troubling you. I won't force it out of you but at least know that I am willing, as a friend, to help you out with all I can and I'm sorry if I caused you any sort of trouble,"

Shoko looked down at that statement. It was kind of similar to what Keiichi said a while ago. Shoko felt a pang of guilt as she realized that as she is pitied herself for the past events; she also made everyone close to her worry about her well-being.

Shoko glanced at Stephen, who was now looking at her with raised eyebrows in confused manner; a playful confused manner. Shoko immediately looked away, blushing slightly.

"Thank you, Suichiro-kun" she said looking at him once again ad this time with a small smile.

Stephen gave his signature heart-melting smile and nodded as a form of 'you are welcome' then he proceeded to take one of the photo albums beneath the table.

"Suichiro-kun," Shoko began. Stephen opened the album then looked at her inquiringly, urging her to continue. Shoko tilting her head a little to the side, as an automatic gesture when she is slightly confused, "What are you doing here, if I may ask?"

Stephen blinked a couple of times as realization sank in. He forgot to tell her the reason why he was there; how stupid of him.

"Oh, uh, you see, Grandfather ordered me to give something to your father. When they told me that you were about to go home from school, I decided to stick around for a while to wait for you. Plus, I'm waiting for my ride; Leonard and I are buying some things," he answered sheepishly then looked at her, with a slight hopeful look, "Would you like to join us?"

Shoko blushed as she shook her head, "I'm sorry but thank you for the offer,"

Stephen couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. _Typical Shoko-san_, he thought _always so shy_

Then after replaying his question inside his mind, he realized how awkward the invitation was. He mentally slapped himself for that. So to make the situation back to its usual light atmosphere, Stephen decided to look at the album he opened.

"Your friends?" Stephen asked. Shoko looked at the picture and nodded.

It was their picture during the final selection; everyone was wearing their best attire excluding Kahoko, who was wearing her school uniform. Shoko couldn't help but smile at the memory the school Concours brought.

Stephen raised an eyebrow and smiled as he glanced at Shoko, "Do you want to give me a little info about them or I'll just guess?" he asked playfully,

Shoko gave a sheepish smile as she started explaining what the event in the picture was then proceeded to introducing who the people in the picture are.

"This is Kahoko Hino," she said as she pointed at the red-haired teen in the middle of the picture, "She is a year older than me and she's a general education student -"

"And yet she is plays the violin?" Stephen interrupted,

Shoko nodded, "She's really good at playing it, even if she just started learning it,"

Then Shoko explained why her Kaho-sempai was wearing the school uniform in such an important performance and told him her place in the Concours.

Stephen raised both his eyebrows at that fact. He doesn't know how good this red-haired violist is but as far as he knows, no one can play that good when they are just started learning. But with the way Shoko described her music and even stating that she placed second during the second selection made Stephen curious; either something out of the ordinary happened or she is a musical genius.

"However," Shoko continued as she stared at the picture but her voice was like a whisper, as if she is talking to herself, but sure enough Stephen heard it. "There is something about Hino-sempai that we could not understand. After the third selection, she stopped playing then her performance went bad; as if she began again at level zero."

Stephen raised his eyebrows again but unfortunately, Shoko didn't say anything else, mainly because she doesn't know the rest of the story.

"This is Ryotaro Tsuchiura," Shoko continued back to her usual self now, "He is also a general education student, same year as Hino-Sempai but he is not in the same class as her. He plays the piano and placed second in the school Concours in the final selection,"

"I'm just curious," Stephen said, "If they can play well, then how come they're in the general education department?"

Shoko gave him a curious look.

Stephen shrugged, "I may be homeschooled, but I know Seiso Academy's standards and regulations,"

"I'm not sure of the reason behind that." Shoko answered at last, "Tsuchiura-Sempai at first hid his talents while Hino-Sempai just started learning,"

Then she told him the story how Ryotaro entered the Concours; how he came to Kahoko's rescue, jumping to the stage and became her accompanist when her accompanist abandoned her on the day of the performance.

"That's interesting," Stephen said with a small smile, "And that's very sweet of him, very chivalrous."

Stephen returned his gaze back to the picture. That's when he noticed a certain musical prodigy.

"I know this guy, Len Tsukimori, right?" he said, pointing at the blue-haired teen in the picture. Shoko nodded but before she could ask how he knows, Stephen already gave her the answer, "We went to one of his mother's concerts this last summer and he played there as a sort of guest appearance,"

"He is extremely good," he added in admiration, "Even better than Leonard,"

"Leonard-kun plays too?"

"Uh-huh," he answered with a nod, "He plays the violin and gloats on about his skills - until he saw Tsukimori-kun's performance that is. I think his head deflated a little but he tends to boast every now and then about his violin skills when we can't catch up,"

Shoko smiled at that thought but then it was replaced with a curious look. But before she could voice out whatever it is in her mind, Stephen spoke again.

"This is Yunoki Azuma, am I right?" he asked

"That's right," Shoko answered, "How did you know?"

"Just do," Stephen shrugged, and then added, "its part of the 'you-are-an-heir-so-you-have-to-know-this kind of concept'. Grandfather made me memorize the important whos in the business world. I don't think he knows me though, not unless I tell him who I am,"

"He plays the flute?" he asked in slight bewilderment, not even realizing that he said his musings out loud, "I thought it was the piano he is focusing on. That client gave the wrong info,"

Shoko couldn't help but giggle. The sound pulled Stephen back to reality and gave her an apologetic smile.

"I guess I don't have to tell you something about Yunoki-Sempai. This is Yunoki-Sempai's best friend, Kazuki Hihara" Shoko continued pointing at the lime-haired trumpet player, "He is in the same year and class as Yunoki-sempai and they are quite inseparable,"

Stephen chuckled then nodded, urging Shoko to continue so she did.

"And this one is Keiichi Shimizu," she said, pointing at the sleepy angel of the academy, "He is in the same year as me but were not in the same class. He plays the cello,"

Stephen glanced at Shoko and felt something he couldn't place. He looked back at the picture, mainly focusing on the cellist. Then a thought hit his mind; this guy looked familiar. Blonde hair, sky-blue eyes and that smile - its either he is a look alike or he is the real one.

Stephen frowned as he shook the idea aside. There is a small chance that this cellist is _him_. But then again, what if he is?

"Suichiro-kun?"

"Hmmm?"

"Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing. I just remembered something," he said shaking his head a little, looking at the picture once again then a memory entered his mind that made him chuckle, "You're lucky to have them as your friends, Shoko-san. Why, my best friend and I even started out as enemies before we became friends,"

Just then, Miyuko entered the room.

"Excuse me. Your cousin has arrived, Master de Faunte," she said

"Right, thank you" he answered politely. Miyuko gave a bow then left. Stephen then turned to Shoko with an apologetic smile, "Maybe I'll tell you the story next time,"

Shoko gave a smile at that and Stephen just stared at her for a good three seconds before clearing his throat, realizing she was starting to feel uneasy, "Well, then I guess I better get going. Are you sure you'll really be alright?"

Shoko smiled once again and nodded.

Stephen looked at her doubtfully but it was immediately replaced by a slightly relieved smile, "Good,"

By this time, Shoko stood up as well.

"So yeah, I'll be going now" Stephen said

Since it would be rude to just let him walk off alone, Shoko walked with him up to the front door. However, before she could open the door, Stephen stopped on his tracks and looked hesitantly on the floor.

"Is something wrong Suichiro-kun?"

"Well yeah, sort of…," he muttered and trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. But before Shoko could ask, Stephen looked at her hesitantly as he blurted out what is nagging his mind, "Grandfather is making me pick you up before and after school. Don't ask me why because I don't know. But he is forcing me to do so. Is that alright with you?"

Shoko blinked a couple of times at the offer. Stephen couldn't blame her for that; the request was really awkward. Then before Shoko could stop herself, she nodded.

Play along. That's the plan, right?

Stephen smiled at that, "See you tomorrow then Shoko-san,"

Shoko watched as he went towards the black car. Leonard, who appears to be the one driving the vehicle, rolled the window down and waved at her in a happy greeting. Shoko, of course, waved back with a small smile. Then her eyes, somehow, met again with Stephen's stormy-grey ones and with that he smiled at her before getting in the car. Leonard gave a smile too before rolling the windows up then the car honked twice before the car sped up.

For a while Shoko stood there, staring at the snowy scene in front of her. It was only when a cold gust of wind blew past her snapped her out of her trance. Slowly closing the door, she looked down at the picture Stephen had been looking at when she arrived. It was her middle-school self. The photo was taken during a school field trip in a museum in Tokyo. Her hair was still long that time; almost reaching below her waist. Unfortunately because of that bubble gum incident before she finished middle school, she has to cut her hair.

Shoko sighed as she placed the picture back on its original position. Then she slowly went to her room, both Keiichi and Stephen's words still ringing in her ears. She never meant for them to worry about her, but then again, maybe she was just so caught up in her own world to realize that she was making them worry.

Shoko locked the door behind her.

Tomorrow she'll set things right again.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

That evening Stephen called to inform Shoko that he is scheduled for a business meeting the next day so he won't be picking Shoko up from their house to drive her to school.

So the next day, she went to school in her normal routine.

Surprisingly, she wasn't receiving any text message treats since that morning and all those girls who she heard whispering criticisms just watched her silently as she made her way to her classroom; making Shoko wonder if something happened that made them stop. She is sure that in their minds, those girls are cursing her to the soul.

On the way to her room, she caught sight of Keiichi with some of his classmates who were standing outside their classroom, which happens to be just beside Shoko's homeroom, waiting the school bell to ring.

Keiichi noticed her immediately and gave her a smile, "Good morning Fuuyumi-san,"

Shoko stopped in her tracks, a little stunned at the greeting but she quickly recovered and returned the greeting. That simple exchange of words earned a few grins and knowing glances from Keiichi's friends as some of Keiichi's female classmates glared at the young clarinetist for a reason that Shoko would never like to know.

Then before anyone can say anything, the bell rang - nothing like the typical school bell to ruin the moment - and everyone started going in their room.

"Shimizu-kun," Shoko called before the said cellist can enter his room.

Keiichi immediately perked up at the sound of his name and stopped on his tracks. Some of Keiichi's friends patted him on the back before entering the room as Shoko received another volley of glares from some of the girls, making Shoko regret calling him such attention in such a crowded place. She could just go and apologize to him when no one is around or when they are with their seniors; at least in that way she felt a little assured that no one is glaring daggers at her.

"Fuuyumi-san?" and with that inquiring question, Shoko is once again pulled back to her present situation. She looked up to the handsome young lad in front of her; his blue eyes staring down at her. Since when did he become that tall?

"Is something wrong Fuuyumi-san?"

"No. Nothing is wrong," Shoko answered, looking down once again and began playing with her fingers while holding her bag and music case, "I just want to apologize for the trouble I caused yesterday and for making you and the others worry so much. I'm so sor -"

Shoko stopped as she felt a hand rest on her head and patted it gently. She slowly looked up at Keiichi who was smiling down at her, with only a slight trace of sleepiness in his eyes. Shoko felt her cheeks grew warm at that smile.

"It's alright Fuuyumi-san. We understand," he said. Shoko immediately smiled back, as if it's some sort of reflex, "We better head to our classes. I'm glad to see you alright now, Fuuyumi-san"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

_Unknown to them, from afar someone was watching._

_He pulled out a notebook and wrote the date on the right side of the paper._

_He looked once again at his subject then wrote down what he learned._

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

After classes, as usual, everyone went for the concert rehearsal but unlike the usual rehearsals, this time they were given a longer period for snack breaks. Headmaster Kira himself - though some find it hard to believe - bought snacks for the committee members and musicians as a treat for a job well done for the preparations for the upcoming concert.

"Are you feeling well now?" Kahoko asked then took a bite at her crescent shaped pastry.

Shoko nodded cheerfully, "Yes. I am,"

"Finally. Now we can practice properly," Len muttered to himself at the corner but sure enough someone heard him

"Tsukimori-kun," Kahoko said disapprovingly

"You really gave us something to worry about Fuuyumi-chan. That was the first time I saw you so troubled by something," Hihara said in his usual carefree manner, "What was that about anyway?"

"Now don't pry much my friend. Maybe it's something personal," Azuma answered for the girl, much to Shoko's relief. Then, the said 'prince' of the school turned his attention to her and smiled, "We are glad you are doing well now Fuuyumi-chan. We won't force you to say it but at least know we are here to help,"

"Thank you so much," Shoko said, gratefully then she gave them an apologetic look, "And I apologize for my behavior yesterday,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"Finally, only a few more days and we're free from everything," Hihara exclaimed, stretching his arms high as they walked along the school corridor.

"Not quite. We still have to practice for the concert and the contest," Azuma reminded, checking his watch for the time.

Hihara pouted at his friend, earning a few giggles from Kahoko, "Oh loosen up. Don't me such a party pooper," he said

"Look on the bright side, Sempai." Ryotaro said, "At least there are no more test, quizzes and homework,"

"Amou-san and I are going to town tomorrow to buy some additional treats for the orphans at the Christmas Concert and maybe check on some outfits for the concert as well," Kahoko said, then turned her attention to Shoko, "Do you want to join us Fuuyumi-chan?"

Shoko nodded, "I would love to,"

Kahoko then turned to the rest of the group and fortunately they got what she is trying to convey.

"Sorry, I can't Kaho-chan," Hihara said, "I promised Osaki-sempai that I'd come to help out in the orchestra,"

"My apologies. I'm afraid I have some appointments scheduled tomorrow," Azuma said

"Sorry," Ryutaro piped in, "I need to help out at home before our relatives arrive for the holidays,"

"I can't. Mother is making me go home early tomorrow because some of our relatives will be arriving tomorrow," came Len's answer.

"Oh, I understand. I guess it can't be helped," Kahoko said, a little disappointed. Then she realized a certain someone has not yet given an answer, "What about you Shimizu-kun?"

"Hmm?" was all Keiichi said, as if he just snapped back from reality.

Kahoko raised her eyebrows in slight confusion thinking, _what it is with the spacing out atmosphere?_

"Would you like to come to town with us tomorrow, Shimizu-kun?" she repeated the question in a more specific way in case the young cellist wasn't listening when she said they were going to town.

"I promised my sisters I'll go with them on their Christmas shopping," Keiichi answered in his usual sleepy tone

"Oh, I see," was all Kahoko could say

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	10. Chapter 10

**.**

**.**

****.****

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER NINE**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

"That sounds nice," Stephen remarked after hearing Shoko's supposed plans for the day. As promised he drove Shoko to school - well, he didn't actually drive the car; that's his driver's job.

Then an idea came up his mind, "Can I come along too?"

"Eh?" Shoko blinked twice, obviously taken aback by the sudden request. Realizing how awkward his request was, Stephen was about to take back what he said but before he could open his mouth to do so, Shoko spoke up shakily as she usually do, "Well if you want to…and if you don't mind being with us. I'm sure Hino-Sempai won't mind,"

That statement made Stephen smile a little. Half of him was expecting she would make up an excuse to why he can't go with then but instead, she allowed him to come. On Stephen's defense, he didn't actually mean it to sound like that. He was just curious on what Shoko would do when she is out with her friends.

"Of course I don't mind," Stephen said, chuckling at her usual shuttering. Then with a determined nod he added, "I'll tag along,"

Shoko was silent for a while but much to Stephen's relief, she doesn't seem distressed about his request. Just her usual quietness.

"You'll keep me company right?" Stephen asked, raising his eyebrows inquiringly at her and with a sheepish smile on his lips.

Shoko looked at him for a while then looked away, focusing her gaze on the car floor, "I…if you want me too," she answered

"Of course I want you to," Stephen answered with a small reassuring laugh. Then he shifted his gaze to the view outside the window muttering, "I wonder how's its like -"

He was cut off by the sound of a phone ringing. Instead of using his right hand, which was for some reason covered with a blue blanket, he pulled out his cellphone from his right pocket using his left hand with such difficulty. Shoko watched with a perplexed look on her face at Stephen's odd action but decided to brush it off. Unfortunately during that time when she was looking at him, Stephen chose that moment to glance at her also. Noticing her confused look, Stephen raised his eyebrows inquiringly as he continued to listen to what the caller is saying but shook her head lightly and shifted her gaze outside the window instead.

"I'll try my best to act like a normal childhood friend who is visiting here for the holidays so in that case no one will get suspicious," he said after the phone call, and then he turned to Shoko and smiled, "I'm sure you don't want that kind of attention,"

Shoko blushed slightly at that thought. She wouldn't know what to do if their little secret was out, especially at the academy. No one wants to be the center of the school gossip. It's bad enough that some people hate her for some reason, she doesn't know if she can take it when something like that happens.

"I tried talking to grandfather about the engagement and to cut the long story short; it didn't go well." Stephen said suddenly, pulling Shoko out of her train of thoughts. He was still looking out the window, watching the lamppost they passed by. He sounded apologetic, as if he did something he regretted, "But don't worry, Shoko-san. I'll try again,"

He shifted his arm a little and it's only then did Shoko saw what he was hiding beneath that blanket. Without rethinking it, Shoko reached out and lifted the blanket away from Stephen before he could stop her. His right wrist was covered with a bandage and from the looks of it, it appears broken; keyword, appears. Stephen grew tense at that though he was trying hard not to show it.

"Suichiro-kun…your wrist…"

"Huh?" Stephen said feigning innocence but it was not use. It was already too late

"What happened?" Shoko asked, worry obvious in her tone as she hesitantly placed a hand on Stephen's arm.

"Oh this," Stephen said, lifting his broken wrist a little. Then he gave her his best reassuring smile, "It's nothing. Just an accident - a proof of my stupidity, I guess. But don't worry its not broken. Just a couple of gashes,"

But Shoko just looked at him; her golden orbs told him that she did not believe his story. That's when the phrase saved by the bell came; a literal sound of a bell. Both teenagers looked out the window and after a few seconds, it's only then did they realize that they already at Seiso Academy's front gates.

"Oh look, we're here already" Stephen said.

After a moment of looking at Stephen's wrist, Shoko decided not to pry anymore. She took her belongings and was about to open the car door when Stephen grabbed her by the elbow with his good hand.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you about this right now. Maybe when the time is right, okay" he said apologetically.

Shoko gave a small smile and nodded; it was her own little way of reassuring him that she understood. Stephen seems to be relieved at that.

"Have a nice day Shoko-san," he said his usual smile, "I'll pick you up after school okay?"

Shoko nodded, "Okay…"

Stephen's smile grew then it was followed by a chuckle, "Take care of yourself for me, okay?"

Shoko blushed slightly at that but she managed to open her mouth and voice out her reply before her shyness gets a hold of her, "Don't worry. Thank you,"

Stephen bit his lip and looked down, "I think I should be the one thanking you, Shoko-san"

Then he looked up again and gave her a sheepish smile.

"Bye," Shoko said and opened the car door.

"Bye," Stephen answered back and watched her run in the school gates before closing the car door. By the time he returned to his original position, he noticed that his driver was looking at him through the rear view mirror; his eyes were smiling.

Stephen felt his cheeks grow hot but he put on his best defensive look, "What?"

The driver chuckled before adverting his gaze as he started the ignition, answering, "Oh nothing, young master Sui,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

For some unspoken reason, the Golden Notes Competition Candidates were given that time of the day to rehearse, as was the order from the headmaster himself. The candidates are paired by year and each pair has an accompanist assigned by Kanazawa-sensei - with an exception to Ryotaro and Len, of course. After a few hours of straight practice, the younger candidates - namely Keiichi and Shoko, along with their accompanist, which was their Mori-sempai - decided to take a small break. Manami excused herself, saying something about going to the ladies room, thus leaving the two younger musicians together in the music room.

"Look. It's snowing," the cellist said, breaking the silence between them. Not that it was getting awkward; in fact it was quite a comfortable silence and honestly, Shoko thought the cellist was asleep awhile back so she started scanning her music sheet. Keiichi was sitting near the window, with his arms resting on the back of a chair, as he was sitting on it backwards.

Shoko immediately looked outside the window and sure enough it was snowing. She stood up and approached the window, stopping beside the cellist. Sure she has seen snow fall many times since she was little but there are times when snow begins to fall, something was quite different. A beautiful kind of different. It's like how some people say there no same sunsets; one is bound to differ with the other. The scene before her eyes was like that.

Shoko gave a small smile, "It's beautiful,"

Keiichi took a glance at the clarinetist before giving a small smile as they watched the scene together, falling again into an easy silence. Then Keiichi remembered something that he was meaning to ask ever since his sisters convinced him to come along with them for their Christmas shopping that day.

"If someone gave you a gift for Christmas Fuuyumi-san, what would you like to have?" the cellist asked all of a sudden, surprising the young clarinetist. Of course, the question threw the clarinetist off guard but she answered it anyway.

"Anything will be fine as long as it came from the giver's heart," she answered with a small smile as she continues to watch the falling snow. It was true, she didn't care much about gifts but if someone gives her a special gift, she always took care of it. "How about you Shimizu-kun, what would you like?"

Aside from the fact that she was quite curious as to what the cellist would like, it was on reflex that she asked the question.

"Shimizu-kun?" Shoko inquired, glancing at the cellist. At first Shoko thought he fell asleep but as it turns out, he was just musing over things with his eyes closed, humming a tune Shoko didn't know. When he did open his blue eyes, it immediately met with Shoko's golden ones.

"I already have my friends, my family will all be here for Christmas and I have my cello. I don't know what I would want," he answered with a small smile as he looked at Shoko. Then his gaze shifted to the window, "A book maybe,"

"A book?" Shoko repeated, blinking a few times before realizing that it was something he wants for Christmas.

Maybe, if there was still time, she can look for a good book when they go Christmas shopping later.

Unknown to the two, a certain female pianist was eavesdropping with a wide smile on her face. This proves to be promising, she thought.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

Stephen stopped near the fairy statue of Seiso's academy for no apparent reason. For a moment, he just looked at the statue, curious as to why the founder of the academy chose the image for a front statue. As he was musing over to where Shoko might be in this time of the day, he caught a glimpse of something behind the statue. Curious, he went over and found something hovering but before he could make out what it was it zoomed out of his sight, leaving a small trail of faint shimmering light behind. Now curiosity was getting the best of him. He followed the trail, no caring where it will lead him or who will he bump on to along the way. Then when the trail took a curve around the corner, Stephen wasn't expecting to bump into a girl, nearly knocking her off balance. On reflex, he immediately supported the girl by grabbing her arm.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking," the girl said apologetically as she steadied herself.

"No worries. I wasn't looking either, so I apologize for that too," Stephen answered, gently letting go of the girl's arm once he noticed that she already regained her balance.

The red-haired girl looked at him for a moment before realization hits her facial features. She let out a small gasp as her hand automatically went up to cover - or more like hover in front her mouth as she continued to speak, "Oh my gosh…You're - "

Of course, once Stephen got a good glimpse of the person, he already knew right away who the girl is but he asked anyway for formality's sake, "You're Kahoko Hino, right?"

Kahoko was slightly stunned since she didn't tell him her name yet and since seeing a person from afar doesn't count as meeting someone, this is the first time they officially meet.

"How did you know my name?"

Stephen gave a small shrug and explained, "Shoko-san showed me a picture of you guys during that event…" then he trailed off as he tried recalling what that event was called, "Everyone were dressed nicely. You were wearing your school uniform that time though -"

"Oh you mean the school Concours," Kahoko interjected, with a thoughtful look.

Stephen nodded, "That's it,"

Then something zoomed behind the red-haired girl. Then it zoomed to another location. To Kahoko, Stephen looked like he saw something unnatural behind her. Anxiously, she looked back but saw nothing.

"Ummm," Kahoko began not sure how to continue seeing Stephen's weird action.

Stephen noticed that of course. "Oh, sorry. I thought I just saw…." Then he trailed off. It was not good anyway to tell people that you are seeing little flying creatures. They might think you are crazy so he just smiled sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, "Never mind,"

Kahoko looked around her surroundings cautiously, she had a feeling that she knew what Stephen saw. When she saw nothing out of the ordinary, she shifted her attention to the visitor wondering why he was there in their school. Since no one transfers on the month of December, she could only guess that he is just visiting someone. And who that person is, Kahoko could only guess.

"Are you here for Fuuyumi-chan?" Kahoko asked, snapping Stephen out of his train of thoughts.

After replaying the question in his mind, Stephen nodded at the red-haired violinist. Regaining his composure he said, "Shoko-san told me about your plans for the afternoon,"

"If it's alright with you, I would like to tag along with you to your…uh….Christmas spree," Stephen added with a smile.

Kahoko stared at him for a moment as questions started swarming in her head. Then she remembered the question and immediately answered before Stephen could think that she doesn't want him to come along with them.

"Oh, of course it alright." she answered brightly. She was sure Amou-san would be delighted by this as well. As for Shoko, she doesn't know what to imagine.

"Thank you. I'm delighted," Stephen said smiling.

"Uhm…" Kahoko began as she remembered to ask one particular question. Stephen gave an inquiring look so she continued, "What's your name again? I kind of forgot what Fuuyumi-chan told us."

Stephen gave a chuckle then he bowed in front of the red-haired violinist like a gentleman should when he is introducing himself, "Oh, I apologize for not introducing myself. I'm Stephen Suichiro but you can just call me Step…or Suichiro, whichever you prefer."

"I think I prefer Suichiro better than the rest," Kahoko answered as Stephen straightens himself up.

Honestly, she was quite amused at the charisma this young lad holds and she can't help but wonder why he would think of coming along with then on their Christmas shopping. Surely Shoko didn't invite him, did she? Kahoko paused in her train of thoughts as she remembered something more important than having a mental debate on whether Shoko asked this guy to come along with them or not.

"Oh crap… we are having a rehearsal for our Christmas concert," she blurted out, startling Stephen a little. When she remembered that he was still there, she covered her actions immediately.

"Do you want to watch?" she asked all of a sudden with a smile.

"Gladly," Stephen answered, "But please don't tell Shoko-san that I'm watching, okay? I don't want her to feel uneasy,"

Kahoko smiled, "Alright, I won't tell her"

Then she caught sight of a group of girls whispering amongst themselves, clearly the object of their conversation is about the white haired lad with her. Seeing that those girls are the typical on-a-look-out-for-gorgeous-guys type of girls, the news of a good-looking guy inside the campus will spread immediately. Kahoko can't blame them for that, Stephen was really good-looking. Match it up with his personality; she was sure he'll have a fan club of his own if he was studying there.

"Though I'm not sure she wouldn't know that you're here," she thought out loud, not noticing the questioning look on Stephen's face as they walked towards the school auditorium.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

**Meanwhile in the Auditorium:**

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

"What?" a girl asked exasperated

"A really cute guy is with Hino-sempai earlier. I think he is going to watch the rehearsal," the first girl said, successfully cooling the other girl's head with that fact.

"Do you suppose they're dating?" another girl asked all of the sudden

"Oh, why does Hino-sempai have to get all the good-looking guys attention?" the hot-head girl said with a pout. Then that expression immediately faded as the girl started imagining what the guy looks like but apparently she can't get an image in her mind so she decided to ask, "Is the guy really that cute? What does he look like?"

"Other that the fact that he is super cute," the first girl said making Manami roll her eyes exasperatedly but at that moment, the girl didn't seem to notice as she continued, "He has tousled white hair and stormy gray eyes. He looks rich by the way he acts. He's quite tall too."

At that description, Shoko automatically looked at the girl's direction. Manami could tell that she has an idea who the girl is talking about and she could see a mixture of nervousness and a slight glint of joy in the young clarinetist eyes.

Of course, Manami wasn't the only one who noticed that. A certain blonde cellist just happens to wake up from his short nap and the first thing he saw was that thoughtful look of his senior. He followed her gaze and it stopped on Shoko. Though he was confused at her expression, he felt something that he can't place.

"His stormy gray eyes were just mesmerizing. He is just…" the girl said and trailed off as Keiichi closed his eyes to sleep again, though his mind was still thinking about that feeling.

"Looks like there's another competition," Manami thought out loud as she watched the gossiping girls ran out of the room in hope of searching the object of their conversation.

"What are you talking about?" Len asked, looking at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Oh nothing. Nothing at all," Manami answered waving one hand to brush it off. Then she looked at Shoko, the worry in her face was slightly obvious, "Is something wrong Fuuyumi-chan?"

Shoko looked up then gave an apologetic smile, "Nothing,"

After a few moments, everyone was called to their positions for the rehearsal, with Kahoko arriving a few minutes before they start the first piece. Osaki gave them a chance to catch her breath before they officially start the rehearsal. From the shadows, Stephen watched them with a sad smile. Then he actually cracked up a real smile when it was Shoko's turn to play a piece with Keiichi. But that smile didn't last long as he sighed to himself. After Shoko and Keiichi's performance he took the liberty to go out.

When he was just a few steps away from the door, a creature flew in front of him with a big grin on its face.

"What the -"

"I knew it! I knew you can see me! I'm so happy!" the little blonde fairy blurted out cheerfully flying in different directions.

Stephen on the other hand just watched at the flying creature with wide eyes. Surely, this has to be a joke of some kind. There is no way something like that could exist. It was a Fairy! A Tinkerbelle kind of fairy! They are not supposed to exist! Can they? He kept convincing himself that his subconscious is making things up or something like that. But the creature looks familiar like he has seen something related to it before.

While Stephen was in the middle of his mental debate, Lili managed to calm himself down and hovered in front of the young white haired lad. He was still beaming like there is no tomorrow though.

"O—kay?" Stephen said slowly, blinking a few times as if he is waiting for the moment for the creature to disappear. But Lili was still there, smiling. Stephen closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, "I'm going crazy,"

"No you're not," the fairy said simply and Stephen just has to open his eyes to prove to himself that there is something talking to him, "You are one of those very few people who can see me. Hino-chan is one of them. Headmaster Kira is another. You can go ask them about me if you want to prove that you are not insane,"

Stephen blinked twice, "O—kay?"

"So if I'm not crazy, who are you and what are you exactly?" Stephen asked after grasping the fact that a flying blonde creature is talking to him. He made a mental note to ask Kahoko about the thing later when he has the chance.

"My name is Lili, guardian fairy of the academy," the blonde fairy answered with pride raising his hands in a way that his current pose is identical to his statue.

That's when realization struck. Stephen could feel his mouth swung open in astonishment. He heard rumors on how the school was magical in an aspect but never did it come across his mind that it a magical creature is actually living in the school.

"So, that statue in front, is you?" Stephen asked though he already knew the answer.

"Uh-huh," the fairy replied with a nod. Then he tilted his head to the side, "Why did you leave, the rehearsal is not finished yet?"

Stephen looked away for a moment then he placed both hands inside his pocket and gave the fairy a shrug as an answer. He was only two steps away from his current position when the fairy told him something that made him stop in his tracks.

"You used to play music and you stopped playing for so long but you still love playing though something is stopping you," the fairy stated in a disappointed tone, his eyes looking down as he played with his small wand, "I felt your desire to be able to play again when you were watching the rehearsal."

Stephen glanced back at the floating creature, waiting for him to continue what he was saying. He had a feeling there was more and he was right.

"Though I cannot explain how, I saw glimpses of your past. That's the first time I ever experienced something like that," the fairy explained, then he looked at the white-haired lad with curious eyes, "Why did you ever stop playing?"

Stephen was silent for a while, not meeting the creature's gaze then he gave a shrug, "I have my reasons,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

After the rehearsal and a few clean-ups, all of the committee members are free to go. Shoko was slightly troubled about something though she can't place what. Her Kaho-sempai was troubled about something too, which was quite a surprise since she was so full of energy a while back.

When they passed by a corridor, a couple of General Education guys smiled and greeted Shoko sweetly, catching the young clarinetist off guard so she instinctively hid behind her senior, earning a chuckle from the latter.

"Kaho-chan! Fuuyumi-chan!" Nami shouted as she ran towards them in her usual hyper fashion.

"Good Afternoon, Amou-sempai" Shoko greeted with a bow

"Good Afternoon too," Nami answered. Then she caught sight of the famous sleepy cellist of the academy, "Oh, hi Shimizu-kun"

"Good Afternoon, Amou-sempai" the young cellist said with a bow.

"Eh?" Nami blurted out looking from Shoko to Keiichi, "What's with all the formality?"

Kahoko gave a giggle at that and a small smile appeared on Shoko's face.

"Are you coming with us Shimizu-kun?" Nami asked, a little too hopefully. Kahoko could only guess that she is planning on interviewing the young cellist for an article in the school paper.

"I'm sorry," Keiichi answered with another short bow then he continued when he straighten himself up, "My sisters insisted that I should join them in their Christmas shopping,"

"Aw, such pity."

Kahoko smiled, "But there is someone who wants to join us,"

"Really?" Nami said, clearly pleased that someone else is coming along with them yet confused at the same time as to who is tagging along with them so she took a guess, "Mori-san?"

Kahoko shook her head lightly, "Nope,"

Nami's eyebrow's met together in confusion, "One of the guys from the Concours?"

Kahoko laughed, "No, but he is a guy."

Nami gave a dejected sigh, "Okay, I have no clue,"

"Shoko-san," Stephen called out as he started to walk towards them just before Nami could take another guess, a couple of girls from a distance gave a squeal of delight, making the others turn to the source of the noise, at the sight of the rumored guy. Shoko felt her stomach do a flip as she watched the person walking towards them with a smile on his face.

Nami gasped when she remembered who that person is, "Oh my gosh! Is that -"

"Yep," Kahoko answered with a knowing nod, "We have a tag-along. You don't mind him tagging along right?"

"Of course not," Nami answered, eyes sparkling, "This is the perfect opportunity to ask him all the questions regarding him in my head,"

"Um," Stephen began awkwardly, "Hi,"

Just then a red car parked itself outside the front gate. The driver's window slowly rolled down, revealing two young ladies inside the car. Kahoko immediately recognized them as Keiichi's sisters; remembering the time they drove his to the train station when they were on their way to Fuuyumi Villa.

"Kei!" one of them called out

"I better get going," Keiichi said before giving a bow again as a form of formal goodbye.

"Oh, okay." Kahoko said, "Bye Shimizu-kun,"

"Yeah, bye." Nami said with a chuckle "Don't forget to shop for my Christmas gift,"

"B…bye, Sh...Shimizu-kun," this one came from Shoko. The young clarinetist looked down then she took the chance to look up as she continued, "T…Take care,"

Stephen's eyebrows involuntarily rose a few millimeters up at that, though no one noticed the change in his features. Then he turned to the cellist and gave him a friendly smile, "Advance Merry Christmas, young master Shimizu."

Keiichi looked at him for a while before giving a nod then he went towards his sisters. So far, it's been years since someone called him with that title.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	11. Chapter 11

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER TEN**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

"So where are you born?" Nami asked, thus the start of her interview.

"London," Stephen answered. Despite of the fact that one of his arms seems injured, he was the one driving the car and he drove perfectly fine as if he has no injury at all. "But I come here from time to time to visit some relatives,"

"Eh? You have relatives here?" Nami asked, clearly not expecting the answer for some reason, "So you are a half-Japanese?"

"That's right," Stephen answered, "My mother was Japanese and my father was Spanish. How they end up in London, I don't know."

"Was?" Apparently, Nami didn't miss the sudden use of past-tense in Stephen's sentence. Shoko involuntarily took a glance at the rear view mirror incase, Stephen looks at it. Unfortunately he just kept his eyes on the road.

"They're both dead," Stephen said simply

"Oh, sorry." Nami apologized, looking down obviously feeling sympathetic for the young lad. Kahoko too, was feeling sorry for him.

"So, how did you get to know Fuuyumi-chan?" Kahoko asked, in an attempt to change the subject. Then she gave a giggle as she continued, "Don't tell me you just kept seeing her after that incident in the park,"

Fortunately, Stephen was good in going on with the flow and was relived at the change of subject. He let out a chuckle at Kahoko's second question because, in a way, that was actually true.

"Well, you could say that." Stephen answered, "Our paths kept crossing each other after that incident. As it turns out Shoko-san's family is a friend of our family. You see my grandfather and her father are buddies before Shoko-san and I were even born,"

Finally Nami regained her composure and acted like her old self again, "Are you Fuuyumi-chan's boyfriend then?" she asked

"Amou-sempai," Shoko immediately protested despite herself

"What? I'm just asking," Nami answered defensively with a playful smirk. Then she turned her attention again to Stephen, "Well, are you?"

Stephen glanced at her on the rear view mirror before adverting his gaze, "No, I'm not"

Nami raised both eyebrows, "Oh?"

"Not unless you have a different definition of a 'boyfriend', I'm not" Stephen answered with a chuckle as he glanced once again at the rear view mirror to look at his passengers. Well, he was telling the truth, "So where is our first stop?"

"Can we go to a music store before entering town, it's just a few blocks away from that street intersection," Kahoko said, "I need to buy a new set of strings for my violin, I had a feeling that one of the strings will snap if I played one more piece,"

"Of course, like I said, I'm just your driver for today" Stephen answered

"Nyah, Kahoko-chan is working too much," Nami commented as she nudges the violinist playfully

-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-

Under Kahoko's instructions, they finally reached their first destination in less than ten minutes. The music store wasn't large, yet it wasn't that small either, just the normal size. Stephen made sure the car is in a safe position and safely locked, he followed the three girls inside the music store. The insides of the store weren't as flashy as the other music stores he has been too but it was well enough.

"Good day, youngsters." the old store keeper greeted as he set aside a couple of small boxes off the counter once he saw the new comers, "How may I help you?"

"A new set of violin strings please," Kahoko answered cheerfully, lifting her violin case a little higher for emphasis.

The old man adjusted his spectacles. When he realized who his current costumer is, he immediately beamed, "Oh Hino-san, it's you. Wait right here,"

And with that said, he went at the far back of the store, disappearing into his costumer's view. In order to pass time, Shoko and Nami of them scanned the room for something interesting - or in Shoko's case, a possible gift - while Kahoko sat on a nearby stool. Stephen on the other hand just stared at the grand piano in the hall, is mind obviously somewhere else.

"You play Suichiro-kun?" Kahoko asked, pulling Stephen back to reality.

"No. I -"

Kahoko interrupted with a small uncertain smile, "Lili told me that you can,"

"So you can see that thing too huh?" Stephen muttered before sighing in relief, and then he gave Kahoko a sheepish smile, "I thought I was going crazy,"

"It's a little hard to take in all in, at least you're a little calmer than me when I first saw him," Kahoko answered, feeling sheepish herself remembering her first encounter with the fairy. When she looked at Stephen he was looking at her inquiringly; probably wondering how she knew how he reacted, "He told me everything from how you reacted to how up to walked off,"

Stephen frowned at the word walked off. He was just not fond of retelling that part of his past so he just did whatever means necessary to avoid it.

"So do you really play?" Kahoko asked

"Yeah, I used to play once…a long time ago," Stephen answered glumly

"Why did you stop then?" Nami asked who apparently chose this moment to appear and overheard the conversation. Luckily she didn't hear all about Lili.

Stephen shook his head a little too playfully, "I'm not telling,"

"Why not?" Nami whined, with a matching foot stomp

"So you are not playing again?" Kahoko asked, hoping to hear him say that he changed his mind and will continue to play.

But apparently that was not the case.

Stephen shook his head and shrugged, "No one wants to hear me play anyway,"

"I would," Shoko answered, surprising everyone in the room. For once she didn't blush or feel inferior about it. She just stared at him innocently, as if it was just a normal statement to be said. The glint in her eyes told everyone who can see them that she meant what she said. "And I'm sure Kaho-sempai and Amou-sempai would like to as well,"

Stephen, the great de Faunte heir, was lost of words so he just continued to stare at her while their other two companions were smiling in their minds. Surely Shoko was opening up. She's not the usual shy girl they've meet.

Just then, before the silence gets awkward, the old store keeper chose this time to appear carrying the strings Kahoko asked for, "Here you go Hino-san."

Kahoko took the strings and thanked his as she fished out for her wallet to pay for the strings but Stephen already paid for it before Kahoko could even pull out an amount. She was about to protest when the sound of a bell that was hung above the door to alert the store keeper if there is a coming costumer rang. Then a familiar looking person walked in carrying a couple of boxes in his arms.

"Tsuchiura-kun," the red-haired violinist greeted.

"Hello everyone," the pianist greeted back as he set the boxes on the counter and faced the puzzled store keeper, "Mother wants me to give you this,"

The store keeper smiled and gave the pianist a nod, "Thank you, Ryo-kun"

Ryotaro just gave a small nod in response to that then placed his hands in his pockets, "Well I better go. I didn't expect to be a delivery person this day. Have a nice day Hino-san, Amou-san, Fuuyumi-san and…." Then he paused for a moment when he realized Stephen was there. Of course he knew who this guy is, having seen him during the ice skating incident and he also saw him earlier that day picking up the girls, but apparently he doesn't know his name.

Stephen seems to catch that so he just smiled, extending a hand and said, "I'm Stephen Suichiro,"

"I'm Ryotaro Tsuchiura," the pianist answered and shook the hand. He nodded and once again, he repeated his goodbye, "Well then see yah,"

A few minutes after the green-haired pianist left, Kahoko sighed and told her companions, "We better get going too,"

"Visit anytime soon," the store keeper said with a huge smile as he waved them goodbye

"We will," Kahoko and Nami said together as they followed Shoko and Stephen out of the store.

Stephen opened the door for his passengers, with Nami going in first followed by Kahoko. Shoko, on the other hand, seems to be a little detached from the present world as she was lost in thought about something.

"Is something wrong Shoko-san?" Stephen asked, sounding obviously concerned.

Shoko looked at him for a second before looking down, "Nothing,"

Stephen raised an eyebrow in a i-can-see-right-through-you-manner and said, "I can tell that there is something that's bothering you,"

Being the terrible liar she is, Shoko just resolved into telling the truth, "Your wrists….are you -"

"You're worried about me? Is that what's troubling you?" Stephen interrupted her rant with an amused smile. Then he gave a chuckle, before giving her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry I'm fine and thank you for worrying. Now in you go,"

Seeing no choice, Shoko obeyed.

"So where's our next destination?" Stephen asked when he got in the car.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

As it turns out, the next destination was the mall. The two girls dragged Shoko along with them in search of a suitable outfit for the concert. Of course, Stephen came along with them. Normally guys around his age would be happy to be excused from doing this kind of thing but Stephen experienced worse shopping trips than this one, so he decided to go along with the flow.

Though he can't place a reason why he is doing it

"How can you hide something like that from us Fuuyumi-chan?" Nami whined,

They were trying on some outfits. The two girls already picked their dresses while the young clarinetist is still trying hers on. Stephen that time excused himself due to a sudden phone call and went outside the shop.

"Eh?" came Shoko's reply from the changing room

"How come you're going out with such a good-looking guy and not tell us?" Nami whined again with a pout that made Kahoko laugh. They could tell that the young clarinetist is blushing behind those thick curtains at that statement.

"They didn't say they were going out, Amou-san." Kahoko stated with a smile. Nami sighed dejectedly.

"Yeah, I know but still…." Then she trailed off. But she still continued to make her point. That is one thing about Nami Amou.

"That look he always give Fuuyumi-chan…it's…different….like a hidden love…or more like an unrealized love," she said, glancing at where the white-haired lad was sitting earlier before he went outside.

After a few more minutes, Shoko finally decided to show her companions the dress she picked. It was a perfect match of royal blue and pink with a less sophisticated design compared to her senior's dress but it did suit her well. Taking a deep breath in, Shoko drew the curtains.

The sound made her companions stop their conversation to look at her.

"Fuuyumi-chan," Kahoko exclaimed, "You look beautiful,"

"True…true…" Nami agreed with a satisfied look and a few nods. Then she turned to Stephen who just arrived a few minutes before Shoko drew the curtains. Nami had to bit her lip to keep herself from smiling at the young lad's reaction. He was still staring at Shoko, simply looking awestruck for some reason. But of course, Nami couldn't help but smile despite of her attempts not to. It was just impossible at some way.

"Well, what do you think Suichiro-kun?"

Stephen looked at her for a second as if trying to recall what she said. Then she looked back at Shoko who was feeling a little self-conscious now.

"I like it," Stephen said with cheerful smile, "It suits you well Shoko-san,"

Nami and Kahoko passed knowing glances but chose not to say a word. There is something between the two that they couldn't place. It was a little more than a simple friendship but less than a lover's relationship.

After that, the group went on their separate ways when Shoko told the other that she will be looking for Christmas gifts. Of course, Stephen automatically said he will go with her while Kahoko and Nami just smiled and went somewhere else in the mall, with an agreement that they will meet at the parking lot an hour later.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"Books eh?" Stephen said, raising an eyebrow curiously.

Shoko gave a timid nod, "I'm buying one for Shimizu-kun,"

"Oh, that blonde guy earlier" Stephen said, both eyebrows raised now. Shoko gave another nod as her answer.

Stephen shifted his gaze and looked at the contents of her bag, "And you're buying gifts for all of your friends," he added, noticing the various Christmas themed stuffs in her shopping basket. His suspicion received another nod from the young clarinetist as an answer.

Stephen grinned playfully, "Wow, Shoko-san is so thoughtful,"

Shoko blushed a little at that statement, making Stephen chuckle lightly.

"Suichiro-kun, why did you call Shimizu-kun young master Shimizu earlier?" Shoko asked when they came across another section of books

"Because, that's what he is." Stephen answered, sounding like it is the most obvious answer in the world. Then he shrugged and pulled out a random book from the shelf. He read the title and smiled, "You can get this one for him. It seems interesting,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

After an hour, as promised, they all met in the parking lot. As expected, Shoko's two seniors bought Christmas gifts as well. After the two seniors stated that, they got what they need Stephen opened the car door and drove them home.

"Shoko-san," Stephen began as they were nearing Nami's house, which was a couple of blocks away, "I'll be heading back to London tonight. Grandfather said I'm needed there for some reason,"

Shoko looked away from the window to the rear view mirror, as if she was expecting that Stephen was looking at it. Unfortunately he wasn't, "When will you be back?"

"I don't know. Grandfather didn't specify," Stephen answered then he glanced at the rear view mirror just in time to meet the clarinetist's eye, "But I'll be back for the Christmas concert. I promise,"

Shoko gave a small nod while unknown to her, her seniors were exchanging knowing glances at each other.

"Besides, you will need an escort for the ball," Stephen added as he stopped the car in front of Nami's house. Of course, Nami didn't get off the car without giving a delighted squeal at what Stephen said, making Shoko blush.

Then again, they sat in a comfortable silence till they reached Kahoko's house. The violinist bade them goodbye before smiling at Shoko as she closed the door.

"Grandfather is asking what endearment am I using when I call you since we're, you know, engage and all. I have no idea why he asked that question but since he was actually waiting for a reply I just blurted out that I now refer to you as my princess," Stephen said as he continued to drive, giving Shoko an apologetic smile through the rear view mirror just in time to see her blush at what he just called her. "Sappy I know but it's the first thing I thought of. Sorry, Shoko-san"

"I just gave you a little heads-up on that matter in case he asked you the same thing," he added, eyes back on the road once again

Then after a few moments he glanced back at the mirror. "Is it alright if I call you princess from time to time?"

Shoko blushed but gave a nod nevertheless.

Stephen gave a relieved smile, "Thanks Shoko-san,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"Oh, I almost forgot," Stephen said all of the sudden after closing the car door behind Shoko when they finally arrived at their house, "Where did I put that thing?"

He kept patting his pockets for something and stopped when he searched the contents of the pocket in his jacket. He took something out and hid it behind his back.

"I heard you made it in the Golden Notes Competition," Stephen said

Shoko gave a small nod, "Y...yeah, I did,"

"I'm so proud of you," Stephen exclaimed, beaming proudly at her, "And I can see the reason why your parents are so proud of you too."

Shoko blushed at those words. She immediately looked down, "I didn't expect that I'll be included in the competition. There are so many musicians who are much better than -"

"Shhh," Stephen said, placing a finger gently on her lips to stop her rant. As expected, Shoko wasn't expecting this so she stayed stun for a while. It is only when Stephen removed his finger did she start regaining her composure.

"It's not good to deride yourself most of the time Shoko-san. You were chosen because they saw what makes you so special," Stephen said,

"But there are still lots of musicians out there who are much better than me," Shoko answered,

Stephen gave a small smile, "Well maybe fate decided that you will be chosen,"

Before she could answer, Stephen took her gloveless right hand and placed something around her wrist. It was a silver bracelet with music notes made of crystal as its emblem.

"Perfect fit," Stephen said before letting go of her hand.

Stephen couldn't help but smile at Shoko's reaction. She was still staring at her wrist where the bracelet was as if she is in a trance. Then she examined the emblems; each was a different kind of music note and there was also a treble-clef and a G-clef emblem.

Shoko looked up to him bewilderedly, "Suichiro-kun…why -"

"Take it as a gift for doing a job well done," Stephen answered quickly, with his best smile

"But I couldn't possibly -"

"And also for doing your best, for being true to yourself and for joining the Golden Notes Competition," Stephen added

"But I -" but Stephen placed his finger once again on her lips to silence her. After he was sure that she was not going blurt out her protest he removed his finger.

"Then consider it as a good luck charm then. Whenever you perform, it will serve as a reminder that there is someone who is cheering you on; believing on you till the end," he said with reassuring smile, "That plus the fact that I worked so hard in finding a gift for you,"

Shoko was silent; mainly because she didn't know what to say. This is the first time something like this happened to her. After a few moments her brain finally started to function properly again.

"Thank you, Suichiro-kun." Shoko said, but that statement was immediately accompanied by another protest, "But I didn't buy a gift for you. I was planning on buying something a few days ago but I just couldn't decide what to -"

Stephen placed his finger once again on her lips to silence her, with his reassuring smile, "You don't need to get me anything,"

"Just do you best in the concert and the competition and that will be your gift to me," he added as he removed his finger on her lips.

Then he gave her one of his rare sincere smiles to reassure her. Before Shoko could stop herself, her brain ordered her lips to smile back. Then before either of them could say word, a cellphone rang from Stephen's pocket.

Stephen rolled his eyes in exasperation, "And nothing like a stupid phone call to break the mood,"

He dug out his cellphone from his pocket and looked at the caller ID. He frowned a little before ignoring the call.

"It's Leonard. I better get going or he'll do something stupid," he said

"Take care, Suichiro-kun." Shoko heard herself say before she could stop herself. Then mustering up enough courage, Shoko looked at him and smiled, her best sweet smile that one rarely sees, "And thank you. For everything."

For a moment, Stephen just stared at her. It was his first time to see her smile like that. Regaining his composure, Stephen smiled sincerely back at her as he took a step closer to her. He took her hand, the one where he placed the bracelet around her wrist. Shoko felt her cheeks grow hot but she mustered all her courage not to look away.

"I should be the one thanking you, princess," he answered, gently lifting her hand up and without taking his eyes off her, he kissed her hand lightly; making Shoko blush even more.

There was another ring from Stephen's phone. Stephen lowered Shoko's hand and let go of it but his smile was still there. He held one finger up, indicating to wait for a moment and answered the ringing phone. He didn't even bother to say something when he pressed the receiver. Shoko could practically hear the caller yelling his rant from where she is standing. Stephen gave an exasperated sigh before ending the call, cutting off the caller before he could even finish what he was yelling.

"Yeah, I should really be going" he said then he turned to Shoko and smiled, "Take care of yourself while I'm gone, alright princess?"

Shoko gave a timid nod while Stephen chuckled at her actions.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	12. Chapter 12

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

It was two days ago when Shoko received a call from their headmaster, asking her if she and her companions in the Concours could have a four-day rehearsal at their villa in preparation for the special performance at the Christmas Ball of one of the concert sponsors. Of course, this will also serve as a rehearsal for the infamous Golden Notes Music Competition they were about to take part. With that given, Shoko can't say no and since her parents are once again in a short business trip abroad, the final decision will have to come from her. So after reassuring their headmaster that using the villa will be alright, Shoko proceeded to call the caretaker of the villa for the preparations needed.

She herself arrived a day early than her companions. However, she didn't expect to be a baby-sitter to her nephews. Sure Miyuko, their personal maid, is there to take care of them but it is kind of an untold responsibility for Shoko to look after the two boys too. That, plus, almost all of their servants left for the season holidays. Shoko didn't blame them though. They have the right to have a vacation. Besides, her nephews can be quite a handful sometimes.

Like this situation, for example.

Toys are scattered everywhere in the living room, as if they were temporarily forgotten by the two boys who were busy chasing each other around the room. Shoko even have to duck in order to avoid a flying toy thrown at her direction when she walked in the room.

"Reiko. Tachi." Shoko said sternly - or as stern as she could make it sound. She nearly stepped on an action-figure when she placed a tray of snacks on the table, "What did I tell you about leaving your toys lying on the floor? Someone might get hurt."

The two boys stopped running and looked at each other, then back at Shoko.

"Sorry, Sho-neechan" Tachi said as he played with his fingers as if he was caught doing something wrong by his teacher.

"We'll clean it up," Reiko piped up, picking up a couple of toys in the process.

Tachi immediately followed his brother's actions, adding another "Sorry Sho-neechan," as he swiftly hugged Shoko's legs before grabbing a toy and placed it in a big box.

Shoko can't help but smile

Yes, they may be a handful but they are also sweet in so many ways. Reiko and Tachi were, so far, the youngest nephews Shoko has and she was very fond of them.

To make their work faster, Shoko helped them. They weren't even finished when Shoko told them to eat the snacks she brought for them and since the said snacks are cookies and hot chocolates, she didn't receive any objections from the two young boys.

"Sho-neechan," Reiko said after he swallowed his third cookie, "When are we going to start decorating the Christmas tree?"

Tachi immediately beamed at that thought. "And when are we going to open up the presents?" he piped up excitedly.

Shoko giggled, "Soon. It's still a little early for that,"

Reiko pouted at that statement. "But how soon is soon, Sho-neechan?" he asked

"How about two days from now we'll start decorating the Christmas tree so you can put your presents under it," Shoko answered as she placed the last of the toys inside the box where her nephews kept them.

The two boys seem to agree to Shoko's suggestion for they didn't give any protest about it.

Shoko did a little tidying up in the room while she waited for the boys to finish eating their snacks. When they were done, Shoko took the tray back to the kitchen. Of course, her nephews were not far behind; tailing her like obedient puppies.

"Are your friends arriving today, Sho-neechan?" Reiko asked. Shoko gave a nod as she placed the tray in the sink

"Are they _mushishans_ too?" Tachi asked, obviously still having a hard time speaking correctly. Being four-years-old, Tachi has a good excuse for doing so.

Shoko giggled, "Yes, they are. And Tachi, it's pronounced as musicians,"

"Mu-shi-shians," Tachi repeated, slowly this time but the result is still the same. Shoko decided to let it slide for a while. The kid is bound to learn the correct pronunciation of that in a few more months.

"Can we play in the attic, Sho-neechan?" Reiko asked, eyes twinkling in hope that Shoko would say yes. Tachi immediately put on his best puppy-dog look.

Shoko mentally sighed. Her nephews just love exploring the attic.

"Alright but you have to be careful, okay? And don't lock the door," Shoko answered, earning a hug from the two. "And tell your Aunt Miyuko that you are going there,"

"Okay," the two boys answered in unison as they dashed off.

-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-

After Shoko finished washing and drying the utensils her nephews used, she heard the doorbell ring, followed by another ring and another. Then it was followed by an irritated 'Stop playing with the doorbell sempai,' from a guy. Shoko's eyebrows met up in slight confusion then quickly dried her hands and dashed off to open the door.

No doubt, it was her companions from the previous Concours.

"Sorry for being late, Fuuyumi-chan," Kahoko said with an apologetic smile as Shoko let them inside the house

"That's okay," Shoko answered as she helped in carrying some of the small bags, which wasn't much; just some of Kahoko's stuffs.

"But we bought lots of snacks," the red-haired violinist added when Shoko placed a medium sized bag near the bag her senior carried.

"And rented some movies too." Hihara spoke in his usual hyperactive way that made Shoko smile. But smile didn't last long when she noticed something,

"Where are Amou-sempai and Mori-sempai?" Shoko asked a confused frown clearly visible on her face. She was really expecting them to arrive.

"They'll arrive tomorrow," Kahoko said reassuringly as she hanged her coat at the rack.

"Oh," Shoko said. Seeing that her visitors needed to take their stuffs to their rooms as soon as possible, Shoko gestured to the stairs in a polite hostess manner that she always put on when her parents have guests, "I'll show you to your rooms then so you can unpack"

The group followed Shoko up to the third floor of the house. Since their last visit, the house changed a lot; the design, the type of furniture and paintings and even the guest rooms on the third floor are new. It was after the last visit did Shoko's parents decide to renovate the villa to accommodate more guests since most of Shoko's relatives stay there when visiting.

"It's a lot different from the last time we've been here," Kahoko commented

Shoko nodded in agreement, "Father insisted in renovating this place,"

When they turned to the corridor leading to the guest rooms, Shoko collided with her nephews who were running as if someone is going to kill them. Due to the unexpected impact Shoko and her nephews lost their balance and fell on the ground. Shoko didn't even have the chance to give a reaction when she hit the floor.

"Boys," Shoko gasped as she reeled out from that sudden shock, trying to get up but the boys' weight pinned her down.

"Sorry Sho-neechan," the two boys said in unison as they got off the clarinetist. Azuma, being the person nearest to Shoko, offered a hand to help stand up making the young girl blush uncontrollably but nevertheless accepted it.,

"Are you alright?" Shoko asked her two nephews immediately.

The two nodded vigorously. Tachi looked up at the new faces, studying each of their features, and then he gave a hyperactive bow.

"Hello, I'm Tachikama Lloyd Fuuyumi," Tachi said cheerfully when he straightens himself up. Then he gestured to his older brother, "And this is my big brother, Reiko John Fuuyumi,"

Reiko gave a bow also.

"I'm 4 _yearsh_ old and he is 7 _yearsh_ old," Tachi added with a proud smile

Then as if on cue, Miyuko appeared running down the hallway. She paused for a while at the sight of the guests then she gave an apologetic bow. Her eyes shifted on the two young boys, placing her hands on her hips. The two boys' eyes widen.

"Run Ichi. RUN!" Reiko said as they ran off.

Miyuko sighed. "Sorry about that Sho-chan," she told Shoko then added in a sheepish way, "Excuse me,"

"What was that one all about?" Hihara asked while scratching his head in confusion when Miyuko walked away.

"Bath time," Shoko said simply with a smile

They continued to walk down the hallway till they reached the guestrooms. There are a total of ten rooms, complete with bathrooms in each room. The door at the far end of the hallway leads to their attic. How her parents managed to get this renovation done in such a short period of time, Shoko never knew.

"You may pick any room you like." Shoko said. Her own room was on the second floor near her nephew's room.

"Really?" Hihara said as he opened the nearest room. The others did the same, "Wow…so luxurious,"

"I hope everyone is comfortable with the rooms," Shoko said timidly

"It's alright Fuuyumi-chan," Azuma said as he entered the room he picked.

"There are also additional music rooms in the second floor, so just feel free to use them," Shoko added with a slight blush.

"Fuuyumi-chan! This room is so cute," Kahoko exclaimed in excitement for some reason that Shoko didn't bother to ask. If Amou-san were there, she would have asked the violinist immediately.

After everyone finished picking a room, Shoko's seniors all piled out of their chosen room for no apparent reason. It was just an automatic reaction.

"Where is Shimizu-kun?" Kahoko asked when the cellist didn't come of his room. Curious, she and Shoko went to look at Keiichi's room, only to find his sleeping peacefully on the bed.

"As expected of Shimizu," Ryotaro said with a small smile, as he too took a peek inside the room.

With her usual sister like smile on her face, Kahoko entered the room and draped a blanket over the sleeping cellist, completely oblivious to the shock and jealous looks from the other male participants of the Concours. And since the violinist was oblivious to those looks, it was Shoko who caught sight of them; making her tense slightly.

"Dinner will be ready by seven o'clock," Shoko said, trying to break the tension, then she looked down and played with her fingers, "I'll be down stairs if you need me,"

And with that she walked away.

-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-

Sure enough, everyone was already down at the dining hall at seven. Of course, the foods were all cooked by Miyuko with a little help from Shoko and Kahoko. Even though they are in Japan, Miyuko prepared some Western type foods for the two boys since they are still not used to eating Japanese foods. So as Miyuko prepared for spaghetti and lasagna for everyone, Shoko and Kahoko added some Japanese dishes for their companions. Tachi and Reiko were almost done eating when the young musicians sat down. Despite of being kids, the two boys had reasonable table manners. Good manners at the dining table are one of the things every member of the Fuuyumi household teaches as early as possible to the younger generations.

Even Shoko has her own share of not-so-pleasant memories at those lessons.

"Thank you for the food," the ever energetic Hihara exclaimed before eating his first spoonful of food. After chewing and gulping down the spaghetti he just shoved in his mouth, he added "Wow….so tasty,"

"Why, thank you young man," Miyuko said with a smile. That made Shoko smile as well. Miyuko really likes it when other people compliment her cooking and of course, gets really pissed off when someone disregards it.

Dinner went in its casual pace; someone will comment about something, then someone will ask, they might sometimes laugh about something then fall back into silence.

"Are we going to open our presents tomorrow?" Tachi asked suddenly, breaking the silence at the dinner table.

"It's not yet Christmas," Shoko stated

"Awww," Tachi said, clearly disappointed. Then a light bulb moment came, "But we will decorate the Christmas tree, right?"

"How about we make some Christmas cards tomorrow?" Miyuko suggested as she took the plate the boys used since they were already done eating.

"That sounds fun," Reiko said

"Will Sho-neechan join us?" Tachi asked immediately, looking expectantly at their nee-chan.

"Now, now…what did I tell you? Your Sho-neechan will be busy for a while. She needs to practice," Miyuko said. Tachi looked like he was about to cry upon hearing that so Miyuko quickly added, "But you could show her the cards you made,"

"I'm looking forward in seeing it," Shoko agreed with a gentle smile

That seemed to cheer the young boy up, "Then it will be the best Christmas card ever," he exclaimed proudly. Reiko glanced at the digital clock on the counter and immediately stood up.

"Oh, its time. Tachi it's time" Reiko said tugging his brother's hand enthusiastically, "Come on Tachi,"

Tachi immediately stood up from his seat then he and his brother both pulled Miyuko with them towards the living room. Kahoko looked at Shoko with a slight baffled reaction as Tachi's "It's time! It's time! It's time!" were clearly heard.

"Movie time," Shoko said before eating a spoonful of food. Kahoko and the others immediately understood the reason for the excited reactions from Shoko's nephews.

"Those are two hyperactive kids," Ryotaro commented

Shoko nodded. After swallowing what was in her mouth, she added with a sigh, "They're quite a handful too,"

"I wish I had younger siblings too," Kahoko mused out loud placing her chin on the heel of her palm as she looked at her almost empty plate.

"Sho-chan," Miyuko called as she rushed inside carrying a ringing cellphone in her hands, "You should leave such important things unattended. This guy has been calling you for quite some time now,"

Shoko tensed a bit as the ring tone continued to sound. It was the ringtone Stephen assigned to himself when he borrowed her cellphone one time. Despite of the fact that they speak well in person, Shoko feels fidgety whenever he calls though she doesn't know why she felt uneasy inside.

Taking a deep breath in, she took the phone from Miyuko and muttered an "excuse me" before leaving the room to answer the call.

Miyuko sighed with a small smile while the Concours participants just eyed the maid. But that only lasted a second or so for when Miyuko turned her attention to the teens, they were minding their own jobs; laughing at the simplest things.

"So, okay…who wants dessert?" Miyuko said, causing all of the teen's attention to turn to her

"Dessert?" Hihara immediately asked, "Is it something sweet?"

"I think you had enough sweets for today sempai. You are acting hyperactive," Len said casually

The trumpet player pouted, "But its Christmas,"

Miyuko just have to chuckle at the sight. This, of course, caused the young musicians to turn their heads to her but Miyuko just continued her chuckle till it died down.

"You really are a cheerful bunch. Sho-chan sure is lucky to have you as her school buddies," she said, the smile still on her face as she placed a chocolate cake in the middle of the table, already sliced in twelve, "Here's your dessert. I hope you like it and mind you, Sho-chan and I worked hard on that,"

"Chocolate cake!" Hihara exclaimed and immediately took a slice. Yes, he and his weakness for anything that is sweet. Kahoko followed his actions as well and took a slice. Soon the rest of her companions followed, though Len, on the other hand, seems to be little hesitant; taking a small slice of cake compared to his companions.

"It's delicious," Kahoko commented,

"It really is," Azuma agreed, "I'm afraid we don't know your name yet,"

"Just call me Miyuko. Don't bother introducing yourselves because I already know your names," Miyuko answered as she took the remains of the slice Len left out and paced it on his plate, "Eat that or I won't let you stand off that chair unless you eat it,"

Len seemed to be caught off guard at that action for he just stared at Miyuko for a while causing Kahoko to giggle. But unfortunately for Len, he didn't have the time to voice out a protest for Kahoko spoke up, after gulping down the cake in her mouth.

"What is taking Fuuyumi-chan so long?" she asked in slight confusions and concern. Miyuko took some cake and smiled

"Well, that call is a very special one," the maid said before leaving the room to take those cakes to the two boys in the living room, leaving a slightly intrigued Kahoko Hino.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	13. Chapter 13

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

As for what took Shoko that long, she didn't expect to receive three simultaneous calls. The first who called was, of course, Stephen, asking her if she was alright - the typical usual stuffs a guy friend could ask. Then immediately after that call came her mother's call, asking is they were all settled in and if everything is alright - the usual mother stuff. The third caller is their mentor, Kanazawa, who wanted to talk to all of them so Shoko headed back to the dinning room, putting her phone into loud speaker in the process.

"Kanazawa-sensei wants to -" Shoko said but whatever ending that statement has, her companions never get to hear it because their teacher choose this time to cut in.

"Hey everyone," Kanazawa greeted over the loud speaker. An automatic 'good evening sensei' escaped the young musicians' mouths, "Everyone settled in then?"

Almost everyone gave a reaction at that. Most of it is about how good the food was and how nice the rooms were.

"Good. Yunoki, you are in-charge of everyone during your stay there," Kanazawa said with an air of authority

"Yes sir," Azuma answered politely

"Don't let Tsukimori and Tsuchiura fight, okay?" Kanazawa added, causing an automatic pissed reaction from the two said musicians; a virtual flashback from the last time they stayed at the Fuuyumi villa found its way back into their minds.

"Was that really necessary, sensei?" Ryotaro and Len protested in unison, which, of course, caused the two to throw glares at each other.

"Don't let them sleep in the same room either. You don't want to repeat what happened last time," Kanazawa continued, ignoring the two musicians' protest and obviously oblivious to the building tension at the villa.

"Is it really necessary to bring that up, sensei" Kahoko commented dryly

"Kazuki…minimize the sweets, understood?" the teacher said, in what sounds to be a thoughtful way

"Hai," Hihara answered as he ate a spoonful of cake, earning a look from Len and Ryotaro and a sigh from Azuma.

"Shimizu …try not to sleep most of the time…okay?"

"Hai," the cellist muttered sleepily

"Headmaster Kira and I will be arriving there tomorrow afternoon," Kanazawa added though they can tell that he was slightly hesitant in telling them. The young musicians - minus Keiichi -turned alert at that.

Kahoko repeated, "The headmaster?"

"Yes…errr…he has some….announcements for the contestants," Kanazawa answered. Kahoko's gaze lowered, so it was just the contestants again, "Well, see you all tomorrow. Thank you Fuuyumi-san for the accommodations,"

"It was nothing," Shoko answered.

"Very well," the teacher said, "Good night everyone,"

The young musicians bade their teacher good night. After that phone call, everyone went quiet, which baffled Miyuko when she returned to the room but didn't ask any questions.

"If you'll excuse me, I have some work to finish" Azuma said after a few more moments of silence. The flute player stood up and politely added, "I'll see you all in the morning,"

"Goodnight, Yunoki-sempai" Kahoko said

Azuma smiled, "Good night,"

With that, the flute player left. Almost everyone else followed his actions. Len told them that he wanted to practice. The same goes for Ryotaro while Hihara wanted to take a bath. Keiichi didn't tell what he will be doing so they could only guess that it has something to do with sleeping, reading or playing the cello. Kahoko and Shoko on the other hand, offered to help Miyuko with the dishes.

"Your friends are really quite interesting, aren't they?" Miyuko commented as placed a stack of plates in the sink, then she smiled, "Makes me remember certain memories,"

"Let me help you, Miyuko-san" Kahoko said as she assisted Miyuko in her task

Miyuko smiled, "Thank you, Hino-san"

"I'll help dry the plates," Shoko piped up, grabbing a towel in the process.

-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-

Once the job is almost done, Miyuko insisted to finish it by herself so both Shoko and Kahoko can get ready for bed. The two protested at first but when Miyuko wouldn't hear their excuses, they had no choice but to oblige. So Kahoko excused herself to take a short shower while Shoko went to check on her nephews.

The movie just ended when Shoko entered the living room and as expected, her two nephews were already fast asleep with Tachi sleeping on his brother's lap.

Shoko sighed then smiled softly as she turned the television off. She looked once again at her nephews as a question rose from her mind….how was she suppose to carry these two back to their rooms?

Shoko went back to the kitchen to ask Miyuko's help but as it turns out, she was already in the bathroom taking a shower. While how the maid managed to finish her job in such a short period time remains a mystery, Shoko knows one thing for sure; Miyuko takes a long time when she is taking shower , double that when she is taking a bath, and it will take a fire to get her out of the bathroom. It was one of the things she dislikes from Miyuko, but of course, Shoko will never say that in her face or to anyone.

Shoko sighed once again. The only way to bring them up is to carry them one by one.

"Oh bother," Shoko muttered as she lifted Tachi in her arms. Despite of being small, the two boys were quite heavy, though they are not chubby.

Then as if on cue, Keiichi happens to walk by. Judging by his clothes, he was ready to go to sleep; he might have gone to the kitchen to get some drink of water before sleeping. Shoko, somehow, felt relived. However, before she could rethink about it, her brain already gave her mouth a command.

"Shimizu-kun," she heard herself call out, making her blush immediately at her own actions. What was she thinking?

Shoko felt nervous for some reason, she didn't mean to disturb him for he might be tired from the day's travel to the villa. At least she knows she would be if she were in his position. Shoko was half-expecting the cellist didn't hear her call him but unfortunately, he did.

Shoko felt uneasy when he turned and walked toward her with an inquiring look on his handsome features. She knew she was still blushing for her cheeks felt hot but her desire to get overhear shy state seems to be a little stronger that night. But as she was about to speak, the desire diminished again. But either way she told him what she intended to say in the first place; whether he rejects it or not.

"Err …Sh..Shimizu-k..kun, could I…could I…a..ask you a f..favor?" she asked, her voice shaky as ever.

Keiichi gave a nod and asked, "What is the favor?"

Shoko thought for a moment then decided to just get on with it despite of the fact that half of her just wanted to tell him not to mind her at all.

"Could…could you…carry Reiko up…to t...their room?" Shoko said voice still shaky. Then she quickly added, "He is q…quite heavy,"

Without another word, Keiichi scooped Reiko up in his arms. Though she doesn't know why she as nervous in the first place, Shoko was less nervous now. Maybe she was just afraid of being humiliated or rejected or something like that. Shoko mentally frowned at that.

Thankfully the door to the boys' room wasn't looked; in fact someone left it slightly ajar; much to Shoko's relief. Pushing the door open with her back, Shoko entered the room with Keiichi following her.

"Sho-neechan," Tachi muttered sleepily when Shoko tuned on the lights of the room. Since this was a quest room also, the bed was huge for the two boys. Tachi looked at her expectantly, "Lullaby,"

Reiko seems to have woken up when the light was turned on for he muttered, "Play us a lullaby…Sho-neechan,"

"Please," Tachi pleaded.

At that request, Shoko involuntarily glanced at the grand piano in the room. Since the room was originally occupied by one of her cousins whenever he is in town for a business meeting, they placed a grand piano in the room to serve as a stress reliever and since Reiko is also taking up piano lessons, they didn't remove the piano when the two young boys arrived at the villa with Miyuko.

"Please, Sho-neechan" Tachi pleaded again. Shoko glanced at Keiichi for assistance but he was also looking at her expectantly for some reason.

"I would like to hear Fuuyumi-san pay too," Keiichi said, though it appeared as if he was just thinking out loud.

"But you have lots of lullabies -" Shoko said

"Play that one from the movie," Reiko answered immediately, "The one Daddy always plays…"

"The one with the dancing bears…" Tachi added,

Shoko immediately understood what her nephews meant. It was from that movie her nephews watched two years ago when they were still in the United States. Shoko forgot the title of the movie and she never got to watch it herself but the many times she heard her cousin play a tune from that movies as the boys' lullaby was enough to learn it and soon began playing it, herself.

Seeing no choice, Shoko walked over to the piano and sat. She felt a little uneasy for she had a feeling that the young cellist is looking at her. Shoko glanced at the cellist in question to confirm her guesses and sure enough he was looking at her, amazingly wide awake for some reason. When their eyes met, Keiichi gave a reassuring and encouraging smile, not much like Stephen's smile, but it made Shoko uneasy just the same. Shoko felt her cheek grew hot as she took a deep breath in then she started playing.

To say that our young sleepy cellist was impressed is a huge understatement. He is clearly amazed at what he is seeing. Never did it enter his mind that this timid girl has such talent. True she is not as good as Ryotaro but still, being able to play smoothly was enough to make one impress. Keiichi's eyebrows met together in slight confusion, why didn't she tell anyone that she could play the piano?

That confused look faded and immediately transformed into a soft smile when Shoko finished the song. The two boys were sound asleep by that time. Shoko smiled gently and tucked the boys in their bed, kissing them both on their forehead, whispering a good night to each of them.

Keiichi smile widen as he leaned on the frame of the door, watching Shoko in her routine. No wonder those two loved her so much.

After making sure that her nephews are comfortable, Shoko turned off the lights and close the door as she and Keiichi stepped out of the room.

"I never thought that Fuuyumi-san can play the piano too," Keiichi said suddenly, breaking the silence between them. Shoko blushed lightly at that but the cellist didn't seem to notice, "You play wonderfully,"

That statement made Shoko blush even more. For years of being a musician, she still wasn't used to it when people compliment her about her music. Shoko gaze lowered as she took a sudden interest at the floor.

"My parents forced me to learn it when I was a little girl but I stopped on the long run and shifted to the clarinet instead," she said sheepishly. She then made a mistake of looking at the cellist. His blue eyes met her gold ones, staring at her in a way Stephen sometimes stares at her; Shoko started to feel uneasy.

"Why did you stop?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side as an automatic gesture. Shoko's gaze lowered again. The cellist can tell there was something more to that action than just feeling inferior. It was as if she recalled a not-so-pleasant memory.

"Most of my cousins already know how to play the piano and they are all good at it. Sometimes some of our relatives will compare us…." She answered trailing off, playing with her fingers. Then she looked up at his with her usual shy smile and continued, "So I want to try something new,"

Keiichi didn't say anything. He just nodded but continued to stare at her as if comprehending something. Of course that didn't help with Shoko's uneasiness.

"Thank you for your help, Shimizu-kun" the clarinetist said before the silence gets awkward between them

Keiichi blinked twice before smiling his usual angelic smile, "Don't mention it,"

Again there was silence.

"Err…uhm…well," Shoko muttered. Then she gave Keiichi a slight bow, "Goodnight then Shimizu-kun,"

"Good night," Keiichi answered the smile still there.

Shoko gave him one of her timid smiles before heading to her room. Keiichi watched as she entered her room and gently closed the door behind her. For a while he stood there, not feeling sleepy at all. Finally he came to a decision to play his beloved cello till he gets sleepy.

As he made his way to his room to get his beloved instrument, he unconsciously keeps on humming the tune Shoko played earlier.

Once upon a December….

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	14. Chapter 14

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**CHAPTER ****THIRTEEN**

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It was the sunlight that woke Shoko up from her slumber the next morning. The bright light behind her closed lids was her proof that a new day has already began. Shoko blinked slowly, adjusting her eyes from the sudden bright light that met her gaze; fighting the urge to close them and fall asleep again. When her eyes adjusted to the light, Shoko glanced at the digital clock on her lamp stand. It read nine o'clock A.M.

Shoko shot out of bed and quickly readied herself for the day's activity. After washing herself, brushing her teeth, combing her hair and changing her clothes - donning a dirty white turtle-neck sweater and baggy black jeans - she went down the stairs; only to be greeted by the sight of three of her seniors when she reached the bottom.

"Good Morning Hino-sempai…Hihara-sempai…Yunoki-sempai," Shoko greeted each of them with a slightly sleepy smile. She wasn't that tired last night, so she is slightly confused as to why she woke up late than the usual time.

"Good Morning," Azuma greeted back as he made his way up the stairs, a glass of water at hand

Only Hihara and Kahoko were left in the living room, scanning some music books on the huge shelf near the television. There were already a couple of books pile on the side; Shoko could only guess that it was for their rehearsal. After all, they still need to look up for possible Christmas pieces for the performance at the Christmas Ball.

"Good morning Fuuyumi-chan," the trumpet player greeted.

Kahoko stopped scanning a book for a while to give Shoko one of her warm smiles, "Good morning. I guess Shimizu-kun isn't the only one who woke up late today,"

Shoko blinked for a while then she involuntarily tilted her head and asked, "Are you done with breakfast?"

"Yeah, we're done," Kahoko answered as she hugged the book she picked close to her. She gave Shoko an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry if we ate without waiting for you Fuuyumi-chan. Miyuko-san insisted,"

"It's alright," Shoko answered with a smile and a nod, "I'm glad she did that or else you would be hungry by now,"

"I guess so," Kahoko answered as Hihara carried the books they picked and started going up the stairs.

"Ne, go to the music room near the study room after you finished eating, okay?" Kahoko added immediately with some sort of excitement from her voice.

"Okay," Shoko answered with a nod.

Shoko made her way to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. She suddenly stopped on her tracks when she noticed that she won't be eating her breakfast alone. Sitting there, eating a bowl of cereal while silently reading a newspaper in one hand with a combination of confusion and a frown which looks somewhat adorable on the person's face, was Seiso's sleepy angel. He was about to put a spoonful of cereal in his mouth when he noticed that someone else was with him in that room.

"Good Morning, Shimizu-kun…" Shoko immediately greeted with a smile when the cellist noticed her presence.

"Good Morning Fuuyumi-san," Keiichi answered returning the smile then continued easting his food, turning his attention back to the newspaper once again.

Shoko made her way to the fridge to look for something to eat. After a few moments of browsing, Shoko just decided on eating what Keiichi was eating; cereal. Unknown to her, as she was humming to herself while pouring some milk in her bowl, Keiichi is watching her actions for some reason as he listened intently to what she is humming.

It was that lullaby she played to her nephews last night.

"Is something wrong Shimizu-kun?" Shoko asked when she noticed the cellist as she was about to sit down and eat. Their eyes met and Shoko suddenly feel self-conscious.

"Nothing," the cellist answered a little absent-mindedly, "I just thought of something,"

Then Keiichi continued eating so Shoko just mentally shrugged it off and sat. As they were enjoying the quietness and their breakfast, Shoko heard a pitter-patter of feet running to their direction. Before Shoko could count to ten, her two nephews burst through the kitchen with an exited look that made Shoko a little hesitant to know the reason behind it.

"Sho-neechan, Sho-neechan, Sho-neechan," little Tachi said, jumping up and down with glee, "It's snowing outside Sho-neechan,"

"But that's not the only great news," Reiko added, with the same wide smile like his younger brother.

"Ooohh, let her guess it big brother…" Tachi exclaimed excitedly, clapping his little hands as he continued jumping. Then he looked expectantly at Shoko, eyes wide in excitement, "Go on, Sho-neechan…guess,"

Shoko knew where this guessing game is headed but as always, she feigned innocence so it won't spoil her nephews' excitement.

"Uhm…" Shoko began but didn't get to finish it when Tachi spoke up - as always.

"Mommy is coming home for Christmas," Tachi proclaimed as if he just saw Santa Clause with his very own eyes.

"And daddy is going to be with her," Reiko added immediately in the same excited tone as his brother.

"Oh," was all Shoko could say in what she hoped to be an amused tone. She wasn't expecting that but nevertheless she beamed at her nephews, "That is great news. No wonder you two are excited,"

Keiichi looked up from his bowl when Shoko said that. Though her lips were smiling, her eyes showed a different story. There was something in there that Keiichi couldn't guess. It was a relief that her nephews are still kids or else they would have noticed it too. Shrugging it off, Keiichi turned his attention back to his breakfast.

"We want to give them a welcome gift," Reiko said thoughtfully, "Can you suggest something, Sho-neechan"

"Well," Shoko began, thinking for a moment, then she smiled at them, "Since you two are making Christmas cards today, why don't you give them a welcome back card?"

Reiko thought for a moment as he contemplated on what Shoko said. Tachi, after glancing at his brother's thoughtful look, tried to copy it. Keiichi looked up just in time to see this and couldn't help but smile at the child's enthusiasm. Reiko perked up from his thinking position and smiled widely. Seeing the idea pleased his brother, Tachi beamed also.

"I like that," Tachi said proudly then he shifted his attention to Keiichi, "What do you think niichan?"

Shoko and Keiichi's eyes met for a moment then Keiichi looked down at the boy with a fond smile, "I like Fuuyumi-san's idea,"

Tachi started jumping up and down with glee. Miyuko suddenly chose this moment to walk back in the kitchen to do something. Upon the sight of the maid, Tachi immediately stopped jumping but his smile still there.

"Boys, let your Sho-neechan and Keiichi-niichan eat their breakfast so they can start with their rehearsal," Miyuko said

"Okay," Both of the kids answered. They were about to leave the room when Tachi stopped and whirled around, smiling cheerfully at Miyuko.

"Auntie Miyuko, we are making welcome cards for mommy and daddy," he said

"That's great," Miyuko answered with a smile. Just like Shoko, her smile didn't reach her eyes. Miyuko then turned to Reiko and added, "But Reiko, you have to practice first before you start making those cards, okay?"

"Hai," Reiko answered with a slight pout as he pulled his brother along, "Come on, Tachi"

Once the two kids were out of sight and earshot, Miyuko let out an exasperated sigh as she shook her head.

"I don't care if your cousin is somewhat my boss or something but if he crushed the hopes of those two he is going to hear it from me. Big-time," she said, closing the cupboard door a little too hard.

"Is he really coming home this year?" Shoko asked looking up from her food.

"Who knows," Miyuko answered with a shrug, "That's the same thing he said a year ago and look at what happened?"

Keiichi, finally done with his breakfast, stood up and placed the things he used in the sink. Miyuko was expecting he'll leave it there but to her surprise he turned the tap water on and was about to wash the things he used

"I'll do that later Shimizu-kun. Don't trouble yourself," Miyuko said before Keiichi could get his hands wet. Obedient as ever, Keiichi obliged; turning off the tap water in the process. Miyuko gave a small smile then she gave them a slight confused look, "And aren't you two supposed to be in the music room, right now? They already started their rehearsal a while ago,"

And with that Shoko swallowed the last of her food and immediately placed the dining utensils in the sink. Without a word, the two musicians went their separate ways to get their musical instruments. Both of them arrived in the music room just in time to hear the ending of Kahoko and Len's violin duet on Ave Maria.

All of them were supposed to play by twos or by threes and since the infamous violin romance still lingers in the air, it was requested that both violinist play a duet; though the Len's fan club will not be happy with this. Shoko, herself, was paired up with Keiichi since they are both in the same year and Shoko didn't dare to imagine how all of those fan girls will react about that. But for now, that is not the main problem. The main problem at that moment is that they don't know what they will be performing yet. The cello and the clarinet are an unusual combination after all.

"Finally you could join us," Len said when they noticed the presence of their two kohais.

"Sorry for being late," Shoko muttered, with a slight pink hue across her cheeks.

"That's okay," Azuma answered in his usual princely way, "Let's start all over again then,"

Rehearsals went smoothly to sum it up. A total of seven pieces coming from the Concour participants will be played for the Christmas Ball. For the group, there is the Silent night, O Christmas Tree and The First Noel. For the pairings, however, they are to perform Ave Maria, Sicilline, Jingle Bells and Joy of Man's Desiring. While they were taking a short rest for a while after two songs were repeated twice, the sound of the doorbell echoed inside the house. Since she knew Miyuko was down stairs, Shoko didn't bother to stand up and open the front door.

Shoko made a few mental guesses as to who will be the newly arrived guests are. Maybe it's one of her relatives or maybe it was her nephews' parents or maybe - her musings were stopped when the door of the music room burst open revealing a one very excited journalist and an amused pianist.

"Hello everyone!" Amou Nami exclaimed, almost startling everyone

"They said they are friends of yours," Miyuko said with a smile. Shoko gave a knowing smile. Of course, Shoko knew that Miyuko already know who the newly arrived guests are otherwise, she won't let them in like that. But before she could, "I'll leave you then,"

"Thank you," Mori said with a small bow and a smile.

"Did anyone miss me?" Nami exclaimed once again, a little disappointed that no one verbally noticed her on her first outburst.

"Must you be so noisy, Amou-san?" Len asked, obviously irritated

"Ohh, someone woke on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Nami teased with a big grin, "Did you and Tsuchiura-kun stayed in the same room last night?"

Both of the said musicians casted her a death glare making Nami held up her hands in a quick surrender while the rest just smiled - or giggled (on Kahoko and Shoko's case). Well Nami brought it on herself, after all.

"You can tease Tsukimori-kun later when they are done rehearsing Amou-san," Manami said, putting a hand on the journalist's shoulder. Nami paused for a moment, taking this moment of silence to study her surroundings as if she just barged in there - well they did just barged in there.

"Oh….sorry," she said sheepishly with a small blush on her cheeks, "You can continue with your rehearsals,"

Len and Ryotaro gave her a scowl while the others just let it slide. After gaining their composure, the young musicians started to rehearse again, plating their third piece as a group; Silent Night. They would stop from time to time to get their timing right or when one would suggest something but all in all, they were doing wonderfully. All were open to ideas and all were open to corrections - though on Ryotaro and Len's cases, it was a little louder and harsher but nevertheless they accepted the corrections. Throughout the rehearsals, Nami couldn't help but take picture - lots of pictures - of the group.

"That was so beautiful," Nami said in a genuine amazement while Manami nodded in agreement.

After a few more rehearsals on the duet pieces it became a conclusion that they should rest and have some snacks for a while; an action that was seconded by the growling sound of Hihara's stomach. Without any objections, the group made their way down stairs and to the kitchen to find something palatable to eat. They reached the bottom of the stairs just in time to see Shoko's nephews all bundled up and running towards the door in their hyperactive way.

"Reiko…Tachi…" Shoko called in a rather commanding voice though it didn't sound much like it but nevertheless, the two young boys stopped running, "Where are you going?"

"Aunty Miyuko said we can play in the snow," Reiko answered innocently

"Play Tag! Play Tag!" Tachi chanted as he jumped up and down in glee making Nami and Manami smile, clearly amused by his enthusiasm.

"Oh well," Shoko said with a small sigh then her expression became concerned, "Be careful, okay?"

The two boys immediately went to Shoko and hugged her legs, "Hai,"

Shoko chuckled as the two boys ran outside to play. While the girls went to the kitchen to get some snacks, the guys stayed in the living room. It didn't take the girls that long to whisk out a decent snack; just the usual pastries and drinks. At the sight of the pastries, Hihara immediately took one and started eating it. Being used to his antics, his companions just chose to ignore him and proceeded in taking a bite of their snacks.

"They sure are having fun," Manami commented after a while, watching Shoko's nephews play with a small smile on her lips. It was that statement that brought an idea to a certain trumpet player, causing him to smile, making his companions somewhat anxious as to what he would say.

"Can we go outside too?" Hihara asked and when some of his companions were about to speak out a protest he gave them an automatic pout and added, "We already practiced and it's already good. So can we go outside?"

There was a moment of silence but it was immediately broken when Azuma finally said, "I don't see the reason why not,"

"Yes, you are the best Azuma!" Hihara exclaimed, throwing his fist in the air in triumph. Then he looked at his companions, "I want to build a snowman. I always wanted to build one in years. Who wants to join me?"

"I will," Kahoko answered. She was obviously delighted that they will be taking a break from the rehearsals.

"I'll help too," Nami said

"I think they ate too much sweet stuffs already," Len muttered under his breath before taking a sip on his drink.

Without any further ado, the three of them rushed out. Azuma could only chuckle at their childish acts as the others followed the three outside; in a less enthusiastic way, that is. Truth to be told, Azuma preferred staying indoors than join his companions outside but he guessed it wouldn't hurt if he just went on with the flow.

Besides, something interesting might happen.

Outside, Hihara, Kahoko and Nami were already finished with the base of their snowman. As Manami and Shoko joined the snowman builders, the rest just choose to watch them from the porch of the villa. Then Shoko's nephews suddenly choose this time to run towards their aunt, with Tachi using her as a shield while Reiko continues to chase him.

"Join us Sho-neechan," Tachi said with a delighted laugh as he circled around her. Then he gently pulled Shoko along.

"I don't think - eek" Shoko squeaked. For some reason she failed to notice that someone sneaked up behind her. She only noticed the person's presence when he poked her on the sides.

Shoko immediately turned around but before she could say a word her attacker continued to tickle her mercilessly, chasing her around in the process, making Shoko squeal in laughter.

"Ticklish as ever I see," her attacker commented, extremely amused.

The clarinetist's companions, however, were completely surprised at what they are seeing. It's not every day one can see the ever shy Shoko in that attitude.

"That is our uncle. Ryoma-niichan," Reiko said to the adults who didn't say a word.

"Oh no…please stop….please…Ryoma-kun…." Shoko pleaded in between giggles when she tripped on the snow thus giving her attacker a chance to corner her.

"Again with the suffixes…." The guys said in an exasperated tone as he continued to tickle her, "We are cousins,"

"Ryoma…stop…I can't…breathe…" Shoko said, still laughing but it sounded firm than before so the guy stopped.

"Advance Merry Christmas cousin," The guy said and helped Shoko up. Then he turned to the two boys, who were clearly delighted to see him, "Hey Tigers…."

"Ryoma-niichan!" the two boys exclaimed and tackle-hugged their uncle.

Judging by bewildered yet amused looks on her companions' faces, Shoko could only conclude that they were slightly surprised by her sudden actions. They had a good reason though. For a moment back there, shy Shoko was gone. Well, Shoko can't help it. She is ticklish and her cousin just knew how to keep her laughing and laughing.

Just when Shoko was about to say something, probably apologize for her behavior, Kahoko giggled and said, "That's the first time I heard Fuuyumi-chan laugh so freely,"

"You don't laugh like that in a normal basis?" the guy said in a mixture of a slight scolding and worried tone.

Shoko chose to ignore his comment and proceeded to introduce him to his companions "Oh…everyone this is my cousin, Ryoma"

"Hi…don't bother introducing yourselves. I already heard lots about you from Miyuko-chan," Ryoma greeted with a smile the he rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous way, "So…yeah…" he trailed off then he gave his cousin a slight scolding look. Then he sighed in defeat.

"Come on boys. I'll show you something," he said to the two kids. The two boys were eager to find out what it is that they forgot to say goodbye to their aunt and went with their uncle.

Taking advantage on the sudden silence, Nami scoped up some snow and formed a snowball. Then she threw it to Manami. Manami, caught by surprise by that sudden action, blinked a couple of times before scoping some snow and threw it back to Nami, only to dodge it and it hit Hihara instead. Hihara immediately joined in the game, throwing a snowball at Manami, who dodged it so the snow ball hit Ryotaro.

With that, Ryotaro left the safety of the porch to join the snowball fight and soon everyone joined in, even Azuma, Keiichi and Len - though Len was forced to join; he didn't have much of a choice, they will hit him to no end with snowballs (courtesy of Ryotaro) so he had to fight back. The students were divided into groups with Ryotaro, Nami, Shoko, Keiichi and Manami against Azuma, Len, Kahoko and Hihara.

If someone were to watch them, they would simply smile at their antics. And sure enough, someone was watching them but instead of a smile, the person just kept a straight face - his companion is smiling, though.

"Having fun are we?" a familiar voice caused the students to stop their snowball fight. All eyes fell on the two adults looking at them.

"Headmaster Kira?" almost everyone said

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	15. Chapter 15

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**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

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True enough to their word, Headmaster Kira and Kanazawa came but it was a little early than they expected. The headmaster was the one who insisted to come early to avoid the traffic caused by the season holidays, as Kanazawa had said.

So that leaves that.

For one to say that everything is in an easy pace is a huge understatement. After the two teachers were served with some hot tea and cake, Kira called the contestants to start their meeting. Shoko led them to her father's study room. Whenever her father is not there, the room is completely closed but on that occasion Shoko was given the permission to use it. For some reason, Kanazawa stayed on the room's balcony, which was not at all big; just a meter away from the door and only two people can stand there. The students could only make a guess that he just wanted to smoke so he stayed there.

Now that the young musicians are already seated and the headmaster just looking at them, the uneasy atmosphere doubled; in Shoko's perspective that is.

The headmaster always makes her nervous to the core.

She looked at her companions. Her seniors seem to be at ease, though she didn't know if it was just a façade or not. Keiichi looked sleepy to even bother being tensed.

"_I guess I'm the only one who feels uneasy,"_ Shoko thought looking down at the table

"I assume that you've been working hard for both the concert and the contest," the headmaster began

Fortunately her seniors answered on her behalf by nodding politely as a form of answer. Kanazawa looked at them with an amused expression on his face.

"Now, direct to the point, the coordinators sent me the scheduled activities for the opening of the Golden Notes Competition to be held in Barcelona, Spain." Kira said as he walked around the young musicians like an investigator would.

Though he is amazingly quiet at that moment, it was obvious that Hihara was getting excited by just hearing that. Even Keiichi somewhat perked up at the mention of the name of the place but that only lasted only for a brief moment because he reverted back to his sleepy façade.

"All delegates are to arrive in Barcelona on December 27. In your case you will depart on the 26th. It's better to be early than not arriving at all," the headmaster continued then stopped walking to look at the young musicians once again. Though some of them may not express it, one can see that the young musicians were disappointed by that statement.

Hihara, being the one who expresses his emotions openly without noticing it, let out a pout that was enough to make his fan girls swoon and faint. Shoko exhaled silently, looking down in disappointment. Keiichi just stayed in his sleepy position but though he still has that sleep expression on, if one was observant enough, they would notice the sad glint in his eyes. The same goes with Ryotaro. Azuma and Len, however, are a different story. They are both disappointed and somewhat relieved.

Kira can't blame their reactions either. They were still in their young minds after all. Not being able to spend the New Year Celebration with their family is something to be disappointed at.

Nevertheless he continued his announcement, "An opening ball will be held the following day, December 28, where all the delegates will make a public appearance as well as a little get together,"

Shoko suddenly felt nervous when the headmaster mentioned that part. Interacting with other musicians who are bound to be much better than her was not helping her self-esteem. Top it off with the fact that it is a fancy ball that will be mast likely be aired worldwide. Shoko can feel her knees buckled up already. Keiichi, who was sitting across from her, chose this moment to take a glance at her and immediately became worried at her troubled expression. Seeing this Shoko just let out a small reassuring smile as if it were to prove that she was fine and then she avoided further eye contact.

"The next day, all of the delegates will be sorted by group. Though originally this part is supposed to be a close door event, it was agreed to make it a public event instead." Kira continued. The young musicians gave him different varieties of inquiring looks so the headmaster immediately added, "I don't know the groupings yet but from what I can say, you won't all be placed in the same group,"

Shoko's eyes widen at that. This was not helping her self-esteem AT ALL. She can handle a fancy ball if she is with someone she knew but to go around the world on a tour - let alone perform - with a bunch of music prodigies from different countries is another story. Her companions don't seem to be keen on that idea either. But of course, all of their expressions were either unnoticed or simply ignored by the headmaster.

"Expenses will be shouldered by the sponsors of the competition so no need to worry on the financial aspects. You are still allowed to bring your own money, though." Kira said, sitting down on an empty chair, "Musicians are not allowed to have outside communication without the committee's permission,"

Just when the musicians were about to ask to the obvious question as to why such rule was implemented, the headmaster quickly added, "Don't ask why because I don't know the reason either,"

"Let's see, what else…." The headmaster mused then he snapped his fingers as he remembered, "Oh yes….in every performance, one or more than one of the delegates in each group will be eliminated and will be immediately sent back to his/her own country."

Shoko felt her insides drop to her feet. As if attending the ball and being separated from her companions isn't bad enough already, this just had to add up. She let out a gasp that caught everyone's attention.

"Sent back?" she repeated in her shaky tone

"That's what they said," the headmaster stated

"Don't worry Fuuyumi-chan," Hihara said reassuringly to the young girl with a very reassuring smile to match it but Shoko didn't feel assured.

Not even a bit. Half of her wanted to back out form this completion now; say that she won't be participating anymore. But then, she remembered her parents. They looked so proud and happy. She can't disappoint them by being sent back when she eliminated from the competition. The other half of her, however, is urging her to fight n; to prove her judgmental relatives that she is something and not just a nobody in the family.

But there are so many what ifs

"Fuuyumi-san," Keiichi's voice broke her mental spaz-out. Shoko looked at him and he immediately let out a reassuring smile, a warm comforting smile, "Everything will be alright. You just have to believe in yourself,"

Shoko was slightly speechless at that

"There are also individual and miscellaneous contests," the headmaster continued, ignoring the dilemma of the young girl, though Kanazawa was sure he saw him suppress a grin. Kira took a couple of papers from his coat pocket and gave them to the closest person to him, which was Len, who passed the rest of the papers to the person next to him. That action was repeated till everyone was holding a copy of the paper.

It was a list of the various event and contest to be conducted for the Golden Notes Completion.

"An award and extra credit, not to mention cash and other privileges, will be given to the winners of those miscellaneous contests. You can read the handouts for more explanation if you like," Kira explained

However, any expected reactions were kept in the minds of the young musicians. Kira looked at Kanazawa, who only puffed out some smoke and smirked. Kira already had a haunch as to what the reactions would be and he was thankful that the young musicians didn't voice it out.

"That's all you need to know for now. The rest will be explained in Spain," he said and then quickly added, "Any questions?"

"When will we back?" Len asked as he pocketed the piece of paper.

"On my guess, you will be back on the last week of February or the first week of March," the headmaster answered nonchalantly and with a rather teasing smile he added, "Don't worry, the faculty agreed to let you have a makeup class in the summer or maybe night classes,"

Majority of them resisted to groan in annoyance - whereas Hihara and Ryotaro groaned out loud - or let out a protest.

"Questions?" Kira asked in a tone that clearly meant that he is not going to be at all pleased if someone asked a question so no one said a word, "None? Good,"

"Very well, that will be all," the headmaster stated and with that the meeting was adjourned

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	16. Chapter 16

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**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

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After that so-called meeting, the two teachers left immediately, saying something about preventing traffic and what not. Once the two teachers were out of sight, the contests participants went to mind their own business.

The commotion in the living room caught Shoko's full attention; the others who were absent in the meeting were watching something as they were eating some snacks. Apparently the others were waiting for them to finish their meeting. A familiar instrumental reached Shoko's ears as she walked in the living room and immediately tensed as realization strikes. Her heart beat started to go fast as she went over to confirm her assumptions; hoping that she was wrong.

Unfortunately, she is right. Much to her chagrin, they were watching her last ballet recital when she was in middle school.

Shoko looked accusingly at her cousin, who was watching the video with an amused look on his face. Shoko bit her lip and made a mental note to talk to Ryoma about this later.

As if this was not embarrassing enough, the rest of the Golden Notes contestants joined in and watched the video; all intrigued to what the commotion is. Shoko felt her cheeks grow hot. She has seen this video herself day after the performance and even she can't believe that she actually did her character well.

Shoko started learning ballet since she was five. Her mother forced her to study it because it was a trend in wealthy families that time; they say it would make a young lady graceful. For years, in learning the dance, Shoko was just too happy to be in the background during recitals. But unfortunately, fate decided to add a little twist in her monotonous life that time; like what is happening today.

It was going to be the last recital for their batch and in order to end the dispute as to who will take the lead role, their teacher decided to do it by draw lots. Shoko nearly fainted when she heard her name being mention by the mentor.

To make it worse, the character she was going to portray was out of her usual shy character.

"Fuuyumi-chan!" Nami exclaimed. Shoko looked at the young photographer with a baffled expression but Nami didn't take too much heed on her expression as she shifted her gaze on the screen once more and added, "You look so cute when you were in middle school. Why, oh why didn't you tell us that you can do ballet?"

"And why did you cut your hair?" Manami interjected immediately after

"Yeah Fuuyumi-chan, why?" Kahoko asked, gentler than the first two. However, that didn't reassure Shoko much.

"Well…." Shoko began but was quickly cut off from retelling the event by her cousin

"Her classmate did something on her hair that left us no choice but to cut it," Ryoma stated calmly then he added with a shrug, "And it stayed that way since then,"

Just when Kahoko was about to ask something, Nami gave a delighted squeal. Shoko blushed even more when she looked at what caused her senior to act like that. It was a scene wherein the 'princess' danced with the 'prince'.

"My, my, my…You are quite a different person there Fuuyumi-chan," Azuma said with a scary-amused smile on his face. Shoko was more surprised at the fact that Azuma found the recital amusing compared to what the flute player just said.

"You look so adorable Fuuyumi-chan," Hihara commented as he ruffled her hair; like how a brother would tease his sister.

Shoko blushed furiously. She really wanted to sink beneath the floor right now.

"Ryoma, why -" but her protest was cut short with Ryoma waving a hand dismissively, not bothering to look at his cousin.

"Shah…this is the best part,"

The awaited finale came. If Shoko can blush an even deeper shade of red she would have done so. It wasn't part of the script but after the dance of the 'prince' and the 'princess', the 'prince' gave his 'princess' a kiss on the cheek; a rather affectionate kiss on the cheek, if one might add.

The scene was enough to make her female seniors, as well as the crowd in the video, to squeal while Hihara gave a loud "Whoa". The others nor mentioned just watched with either an amused grin or just a plain emotionless façade.

"What did happen to that guy Umi?" Miyuko asked as she collected the cups and plates, surprising everyone with the fact that she entered without them noticing it but she just shrugged it off and continued to tease her charge, "What's his name again? Leo, right?"

"Miyuko-san!"

"What? I'm just asking," the maid said, laughing a little as she left the room.

"So what did the headmaster just say?" Kahoko asked innocently as Ryoma turned the television off, sparing the young clarinetist from further embarrassment or interrogation.

Hihara, hyperactive as ever, told the red-head violinist everything about the meeting as Ryoma gladly excused himself out. The others - minus Keiichi who fell asleep immediately since the trumpet player started retelling the events - just listened to him; adding a comment here and there from time to time when needed. As Hihara told her the upcoming events, Kahoko couldn't help but feel envious.

She really, really, really, really, really, wanted to come.

"I haven't looked at the paper Headmaster Kira gave," Hihara said as he fished out a crumpled paper from his pocket. The other male participants -minus Keiichi, who is still fast asleep - took out their own copies as well while Nami and Manami went to the young clarinetist to take a peek at the said paper.

It was a list of activities and small competitions at the Golden Notes Competition.

Aside from the events they would do to promote music, saving mother earth and others, there were also small contest that every contestant are automatically participating since day one but unfortunately those little contests are a little far-fetched for the young musicians.

"Most Photogenic?" Ryotaro blurted out, "What is this Miss Universe?"

Kahoko just had to giggle on that.

"Online Voters Choice," Nami read aloud then a huge grin across her face as she looked at the group, "This I got to see. Don't worry guys I'll use my convincing powers to help you get tons of votes,"

"Don't tire yourself, Amou-san" Len said, voice laced with sarcasm

"Look at this one," Kahoko said, containing her giggles as she read a couple of more competitions, "The Cutest Couple….The Best Couple….Golden Notes Lovers of the Year…."

"What form of stupidity is this?" Len muttered as he mentally read that part too

"At least it's bound to attract viewers worldwide," Azuma said with a sigh

Hihara gave a small smile, "No doubt about that,"

"Oh I really wished we could come," Kahoko blurted out, now frustrated about missing the events.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

The group suddenly decided to practice by the individual performance they are going to present. Since her partner is sleeping, Shoko decided to help Miyuko in baking some cookies to cheer the little boys up. Later that afternoon, Shoko even wanted to come with Miyuko and Ryoma to town but Miyuko insisted that she stay to look after her nephews. So the bottom-line was, Miyuko took Ryoma (being their driver), Kahoko, Nami Hihara and Len (the blue-haired violinist have no choice since he was dragged along by Miyuko) leaving Azuma, Manami, Ryotaro, Keiichi and Shoko along with the young boys in the villa.

It was around late afternoon when Keiichi woke up from his nap, only to find himself in his room. Though slightly confused as to how he got in his room, the first though that came to his mind was his cello. It wasn't in the room.

Keiichi sat up and went to the room's bathroom to fix himself a little before he went down to the living room to get his cello; assuming that its still there since that is the last place he remembered putting it.

When he reached the living room he found his beloved cello carefully placed on top of the couch while Shoko's nephews were lying on their stomachs watching cartoons on the television. Reiko was the only one who noticed him enter because he was the only who looked at him. But the young boy quickly turned his attention back to the television as if slightly disappointed. Wasting no time, Keiichi took his cello and was about to leave when Shoko entered the room; nearly bumping on Keiichi in the process. Good thing Shoko was able to stop and balance the tray she is holding so the contents didn't spill out.

"Sorry," both musicians said simultaneously then they both tried avoiding each other's glance with Shoko blushing furiously.

"Do you want some cookies Aunty Miyuko baked?" Shoko asked the two boys.

At that question, Tachi immediately stood up and took three cookies and his glass of milk then he sat on the sofa, gaze fixed on the television once again. Reiko on the other hand didn't even spare a glance at his aunt and just continued to stare absentmindedly at the television.

Shoko sighed. She made her way to her nephew and placed the tray on the floor in front of the little boy. That action made Reiko look up at her. Shoko smiled and stroked the young boy's head lovingly.

"Maybe there are just late. Traffic is heavy during this time of the year," Shoko said. Reiko looked away, fixing his gaze glumly on the television once again.

"What if they are not coming?" he asked coldly.

"Mommy and Daddy are not coming again?" Tachi asked completely shocked. His wide eyes stared at Shoko, seeking for an answer.

"They're coming," Shoko answered firmly but reassuringly, "Like I said, maybe they are just late,"

Tachi looked relieved upon hearing that, "I miss Mommy,"

"I wish you were our Mommy, Sho-neechan" Reiko muttered as he sat up from his position and took a cookie from the tray.

"Please don't say that," Shoko interjected quickly, obviously protesting. Then she took a deep breath in as she added in a soothing tone, "Your mother is still you mother no matter what and you must love her more than you love me. The same goes to your father,"

Neither of the boys answered. Reiko just stubbornly stared at the television while Tachi just gave Shoko an apologetic look. Shoko ruffled Tachi's hair making the young boy giggle in response.

As for Keiichi, since no one is paying attention to him and he felt like intruding watching them like that, he finally decided to take his leave. But as he was about to take a step away, young Tachi finally noticed him and at the sight of the instrument in Keiichi's hand, his eyes immediately went wide with excitement.

"Keiichi-niichan, is that a cello?" he asked. Even Reiko looked at their direction at that question.

Slightly taken aback by the sudden attention and question, Keiichi blinked a couple of times before answering with a slow nod, "Yes it is,"

"I thought so," Tachi said beaming, extremely proud of himself for making a correct guess, "Mommy plays the cello too. She always plays us a song before we go to sleep,"

Then a thought came up the young boy's mind and Reiko seem to read his brother's mind as he look expectantly at the cellist,

"Can you play us our lullaby?" Tachi asked with hid big puppy eyes

The boys' lullaby meant the song Shoko played on the piano the night before. At the request, Keiichi immediately looked at Shoko as f asking for help. True he practiced the piece the moment he got sometime alone with himself since he can't get the song out of his head but the request just caught him by surprised. But instead of convincing her nephew, Shoko gave Keiichi a sheepish smile that clearly meant: "Please. You might as well,"

After seeing that pleading look on Shoko's eyes, Keiichi didn't have the heart to refuse at the offer so he sat on a chair as Shoko turned off the television. Reiko sat beside his brother and listened to the music produced by the instrument.

Soon Keiichi was caught up in his world of music again that he didn't notice that the two boys fell asleep. Shoko just watched him in silence, not wanting to disturb such a wonderful performance. When Keiichi finished playing the some for more than three times, he was surprised to find Shoko staring at him. After realizing that the music stopped, Shoko immediately looked away; her cheeks sporting that familiar blush once again.

To ease the awkward feeling of being caught staring at Keiichi, Shoko shifted her attention to the boys.

"They're asleep," Shoko muttered, brushing some strands of hair out of Reiko's face. Keiichi watched as Shoko took some blankets from a nearby closet in the room and draped it over the boys.

"Thank goodness," Shoko said after a sigh then when she looked at the cellist, there was relief and gratefulness in her eyes, "Thank you Shimizu-kun,"

Keiichi raised his eyebrows, "What for?"

"For making them fall asleep," Shoko answered as she picked up the tray on the floor, "I don't knowhow I could keep their hopes up during situations like this,"

Keiichi nodded absentmindedly, "It's hard for them to accept their parent's decision."

Shoko gave him a questioning look.

"Reiko-kun told me something about their parents living separately and how they don't seem to care about one another, constantly fighting, always arguing. He says its either they are already divorced or in the process of it," Keiichi explained in his usual tone.

It was true. The two young boys were playing hide and seek that time and Reiko chose to hide in Keiichi's room. After a practice, Keiichi found him there and after Reiko asked random things about the cello, the young boy just started telling his dilemma.

Keiichi then glanced at Shoko, looking inquiringly at her, "But, is that true Fuuyumi-san?"

"Reiko acts mature for his age. He knows that much because he often witnesses their parents' constant fighting," Shoko answered as she placed the tray on a nearby table, then she looked again at her nephews, "It must be hard for his sever-year-old mind to grasp that fact,"

"It is and being the eldest makes it hard too," Keiichi answered rather sleepily, and then as if he is muttering the last part to himself, he continued, "I was thankful that I wasn't the eldest but still it's hard to accept the whole truth. I hope he doest hold a deep grudge on them."

Shoko looked at him, now completely curious. Keiichi involuntarily glanced at her then at the sight of her baffled expression, he managed a small smile.

"You see my parents went through the same situation when I was seven; only the difference is they really end up separated. My eldest sister took it really hard to the point that she went abroad just to get away from my father. I and my other siblings, on the other hand, stayed with our father for a while. We later on decided to live with our aunt and my eldest sister got a permanent job, so we left father for good," he explained with a sad smile while Shoko was staring at him wide-eyed.

Never did she expect that the sleeping angel of Seiso came from that such background.

"We lived away from them ever since," Keiichi continued with that far-away look in his eyes as he stared at the boys, "Mother is in Greece…I don't know where Father is. I didn't have any communication from him since the day we left him but he gives financial support though. He is the one paying my school fees but all the same, my siblings hate him."

Then he added with what may seem like a shrug and a sad smile, "Mother calls from time to time, though"

Shoko was speechless. She wanted to say something but her brain can't come up with the proper words to say. Being an only child and living together with her parents made her clueless to the situation. Before, all she knew was keep the boys hopes up but what if that situation happens; what if the boys' parents did separate? How will she be able to help her young nephews?

Shoko bit her lip as tears were threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Fuuyumi-san?" Keiichi's calm sleepy tone broke her out of her thoughts.

Shoko looked at him and stared at him for a moment; not a blush adored her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again as she looked down and resolved to just answering, "I...it…it's…n…nothing,"

Keiichi stared at her for a moment then smiled.

"Can you play the Clarinet Polka, Fuuyumi-san?" he requested suddenly, that smile still on his face.

"Eh?" was all Shoko could say as her eyes went wide.

"I like it when you play that. It always makes me smile," Keiichi said rather absentmindedly, with that warm smile on his face.

After thinking it through Shoko then sighed and nodded sheepishly, "A…alright,"

She walked over the piano seat where her music case was sitting and out from it she took out her clarinet. She gave it a single look over before sitting on the piano sit herself. Then as Keiichi sat on a stool, Shoko positioned the musical instrument a few centimeters from her lips.

And then she played.

Unknown to the two, their seniors were eavesdropping on their conversation up in the hallway. Azuma was leaning casual against the wall while Manami and Ryotaro were sitting opposite to each other, both their backs against the wall as well.

"I never thought Shimizu-kun would come from a broken family," Manami said, eyes gazing on the floor, as the joyous tune of Shoko's playing filled the house.

Ryotaro looked up to their senior and asked, "You knew, didn't you, sempai?"

"Yes," Azuma answered with a small nod, formal as ever, "About a year ago,"

Then the tune died down, only to be replaced with a rather unusual combination of a cello and a clarinet playing the O Christmas tree song. The piece was going to be Shoko and Keiichi's performance piece but this was the first time they practiced on their own. Manami can't help but give an amused smile as she closed her eyes for a moment then she looked at her companions. Both of them had small smiles on their handsome faces as they listened.

Though she knows her companions would object, even a part of her is objecting, at her sudden idea, she voiced it out anyway; to see what kind of reaction she will receive. With a rather teasing smile she asked, "Those two needs an accompanist, don't you think?"

One look at her and Ryotaro seem to immediately read her intentions. He just rolled his eyes and smirked, "You'll ruin the moment," he said

"Do really think they will need an accompanist now?" Azuma asked, barely containing his chuckle as Manami stuck out her tongue at Ryotaro because of his answer. His two kohais looked up at him for a moment as if trying to replay what he just said.

Then Manami gave a shrug, "They're bound to need one sooner or later,"

"I'll let you handle it then," Ryotaro said with his usual smug smirk, causing Manami to truck out her tongue once again.

The song ended a couple moments after Manami and Ryotaro's silent teasing match. The three eaves droppers were quite cautious about their surroundings because they don't want to get caught eavesdropping. As the three of them were about to go back to their rooms, something made them stop on their tracks.

"That was really nice" they heard Keiichi said and Manami could imagine Shoko nodding sheepishly as a form of answer. Then Keiichi added, "It would sound better if Mori-sempai or Tsuchiura-sempai would accompany us,"

A thought came in Manami's mind and since she has nothing to do she decided to go for it. Casually she turned around and silently walked down the staircase. Azuma and Ryotaro looked at each other for a moment wondering what they missed.

"Did I hear my name?" they heard the pianist say, completely innocent of her eavesdropping

"Mori-sempai," Shoko said

"Now, what were you talking about that concerned my name?" Manami asked casually

Azuma and Ryotaro immediately got what the pianist is trying to do and they have no intention in interrupting so they just made their way to their respective rooms.

"Quite an actress, isn't she?" Azuma mussed out loud as he opened his room door. Ryotaro gave him a smirk before shrugging and entering his room.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	17. Chapter 17

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**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

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Stephen Randolph Suichiro von Dylan Kanade de Faunte, heir to one of the biggest companies in the economic world, gently placed the wine glass he was holding on top of a nearby table and when no one was looking he stepped outside of the huge extravagant ballroom to the slightly snow covered floor of the balcony.

Heir to a large wealth he may be, Stephen was never good at parties and would always take every opportunity to get away from one once he did what he is sent out to do for the gathering. Usually he would act as a proxy for his Grandfather. The Elder de Faunte just love to accept invitations though he never had time to actually attend one so he just sends his grandchildren to do his bidding.

Stephen fished out his cellphone and dialed a certain female clarinetist's number. But as he was about to press the call button, he hesitated. Honestly, he wasn't sure what time it is in Japan and if ever it was morning there then he was sure that she would be practicing. After thinking it through for quite sometime, he finally decided on not calling her. After all he might be interrupting something important.

Stephen pocketed his cellphone and gave out a sigh; his breath turning into smoke the moment it left his mouth.

"If I were just some random person wandering around here, I might be surprised to find the heir of the de Faunte Enterprises _freezing_ himself to death," a reddish-blonde haired boy stated with a smug look on his face, one hand on his pocket while the other was holding a wine glass.

Stephen turned around and when he saw who the speaker is, he couldn't help but show his signature smirk as he straightens himself up.

"Nice to see you too, Josiah" the de Faunte heir said monotonously with a little sarcasm.

Josiah Wilterson is a year older and a few inches taller than Stephen with curly reddish-blonde hair and amethyst colored eyes. Josiah is the heir of a large airline company in Europe. It was for that sole reason as to how both boys met, though it wasn't a good start to say the least. It was always through gatherings like this that they would meet and there was never a time when they wouldn't try to best the other; they were rivals after all. But thankfully, it wasn't always that way. There was a situation that brought them together and they were friends ever since.

Josiah rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Seriously, what are you doing here in this weather?"

"I just remembered something so I stepped out here," Stephen answered coolly with a shrug but Josiah was not fooled by his act.

"Really?" he said raising an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced by his best friend's excuse. Then he rolled his eyes exasperatedly once again but then he smiled, "It's easier to say that you are hiding from those dingbat girls than say that you know. Less suspicious explanation,"

Stephen gave a knowing smile. That's Josiah for you.

"The second balcony is almost empty since most of the guests are down here plus the second balcony mostly consists of books, we can go there if you some peace and quiet," Josiah suggested. Stephen just looked at him for a good ten seconds so he added, "It's better than freezing out here,"

Stephen smiled and nodded, "Let's just wait for the perfect timing,"

And that's what they did. They blend in the shadows of the crowd, trying hard not to get noticed as they made their way to the second balcony. Like him, Josiah is never fond of parties too. It was always easy to escape occasions like this when you have an accomplice. It wasn't long before hey finally reached their sanctuary to the nosy social life of theirs.

It was a good thing the party was held in Josiah's place or else it would be hard to find such refuge.

"So," Josiah began casually as he picked a book up from a table and read the title, only to put it down again when he continued his question, "How are things in Japan?"

Stephen shrugged as he picked a random book then smiled a little for some reason, "Same old, same old," he answered.

"Heard you met someone," Josiah said with a cheeky grin and a matching wriggling of his eyebrows

Stephen stopped scanning some books to look at his friend skeptically, raising an eyebrow as hint of idea went to his mind but for the sake of conversation, he just asked, "Who told you that?"

"A birdie told me," Josiah said with a stupid grin and returned to scanning some of the books on the shelf, trying not to make it a big deal but he knew Stephen wouldn't leave it as that. He mentally smiled, wondering what secrets this conversation will open up.

"Tsk. Yeah right. Birdie my foot," Stephen snorted as he pulled a random book, only to place it back at the shelf again. He knew who told everything to Josiah and he made a mental note to interrogate him later for it. As for now, he had to know what his cousin said to minimize the misunderstanding, "Did Birdie tell you everything that happened?"

"I think so," Josiah answered with a shrug then he finally gave up on the books so he sat on the velvet cushioned couch, crossing his legs and placed his chin on the heel of his hand with a rather amused smile on his face.

"So…you're really engaged huh?" he mused out loud but before Stephen could answer, Josiah gave an amused chuckle that Stephen hadn't heard for quite sometime as he added, "Hard to believe at first. I really thought you would rather choose to become a hermit and live in the mountains like Tarzan than agree on an arranged marriage Step,"

Stephen gave a chuckle of his own before he sat down opposite to his friend, "As if I agreed into it,"

"But you are not doing any act of rebellion," Josiah replied raising an eyebrow, then he smirked, "That girl must be extremely special then,"

"I'm still thinking of a plan," Stephen answered a little bit too quickly for the ordinary making Josiah raise his eyebrows again in suspicion.

"Right," he said skeptically with that teasing and knowing smirk, "I know what's going on inside that coconut shell of yours. You promised her that you would fix things, told her that you would help her, didn't you?"

Stephen looked wryly at his friend, "Did Birdie tell you that too?"

"No. I just guessed," Josiah answered with a knowing shrug implying that he did just guess it. Stephen could only give a small smile at that answer. Well, Josiah is his best friend after all; he is one of the only few people who can understand him immediately.

"She's beautiful you know. Simple beauty," Josiah added his teasing smile visible once again, "But that didn't surprise me, you always prefer simple girls. Not that there is a girl that caught your attention before, this is the first time I saw you act like this,"

Stephen felt his cheeks grow hot and he was sure that Josiah can see it so he just played it cool by raising an eyebrow, "Birdie showed you a picture too?"

"Yep," Josiah answered proudly which caused Stephen to let out a silent groan. He will definitely talk to Leonard about this later when they arrived at the main mansion. He was already guessing the every de Faunte cousin already knew what Shoko looks like by now because of that picture. It must be the one Leonard took during his first official visit at Shoko's house.

"Though I'll say in advance," Josiah said, breaking Stephen's train of thoughts on how he would get back at Leonard for this, "Clarissa won't like this one bit."

As silence enveloped the room, an understanding was brought between them. Then it was Stephen who broke the silence.

"I'm not planning in telling her yet," he said, not bothering to look at Josiah in the eye, "Not until it is publicly official,"

Josiah tilted his head to the side, "Why not?"

As if on cue, a girl with curly blonde hair and big blue eyes came bursting to the door in such energy that made Stephen smile for a moment. Her eyes sparkled with recognition as her gaze fell on the two young lads in the room.

Clarisse Thersvone is the only child of a wealthy fashion designer and a businessman; thus making her the heir of a major clothing line in France. She is a few months younger than the two boys but acted as if she was a year older than them on some occasions. The de Faunte and Wilterson family had been their clients ever since they were even born so it wasn't surprising that the heirs themselves were close friends.

"There you are," she said as she walked across the room, her gown trailing behind her.

Josiah rolled his eyes and muttered, "Speak of the devil and the devil will come,"

The girl quickly tossed a glare at him though she didn't actually hear the words clearly. She was just sure that it wasn't something nice because Josiah rarely complements her.

"What are you muttering about?" she hissed

"Nothing," Josiah answered immediately, holding his hands up in surrender. Stephen saw that it was time to interrupt in case something bad happens to Josiah. He cleared his throat loud enough to catch the blonde girl's attention.

Sure enough it did and her eyes immediately lit up with joy as she rushed towards the de Faunte heir. Josiah smiled smugly. Now he knows why he wouldn't tell her.

"Hey Claire," Stephen said as he stood up, only to fall back on the couch as the blonde girl hugged him warmly as if she hadn't seen him in years, "Nice to see you again, Clarisse."

"I missed you sooooo much, Step" Clarisse exclaimed, not missing a beat making Josiah roll his eyes, "How was Japan? Did you sleep right? Did you eat right? I want to hear all about your trip,"

Stephen chuckled at her enthusiasm. As he was about to answer her, the young girl's facial expression darken as she remembered why she was sent to find them in the first place. She was hesitant because she was sure it will ruin Stephen's good mood but she had no choice but to do what she was told so she added, "But before that, your grandfather wants to talk to you downstairs,"

Stephen's face became expressionless all of a sudden. He nodded once as he answered, "See you two later,"

And just like that, he left without saying much. Both Clarisse and Josiah let out a breath they didn't knew they were holding until the de Faunte heir left. Josiah sighed and ran his hands through his reddish-blonde locks while the blonde girl let her body slide and lay on the couch, absentmindedly staring at the ceiling for a moment.

But Clarisse Thersvone was not that kind of person who delights on not knowing things.

"So what were you two talking about?" she asked the Josiah immediately, though she didn't even bother to look at him and just continued staring up to the ceiling.

"Nothing that will spark you interest," the airline heir answered flatly.

Josiah gave her a look that made the blonde think that they were talking about things that only boys will understand. Like mechanics or cars for example. Clarisse glared at no one in particular as a memory refreshed itself in her mind. There was one time when they were invited to a picnic with some company owner and she was stuck with Stephen and Josiah. The start of the conversation was good enough but when the course of the talk took a turn into cars, mechanical parts and even to airplane mechanics, Clarisse found her self resorting to just reading a random book she let her guard bring.

Unknown to her, as she was busy glaring at something. Josiah let out a small smile of relief that was quickly replaced with a troubled frown. Sure Stephen doesn't want Clarisse to find out but that big of a secret can't stay hidden for long. Clarisse is a good friend, no one can object to that but everyone had a bad side.

If Clarisse knew what just happened to Stephen's life, who knows what she will do.

He just hoped their friendship can survive this upcoming test.

"Am I to expect that he will come back here pissed?" Josiah asked, breaking the silence in the room as he too lay on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.

Clarisse gave a snort, to which some of the etiquette teachers would find very unladylike but perfectly normal to some teenagers. "Count on it," she answered.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

_**Thirty minutes after….**_

"I hate him," Stephen blurted out as he entered the room, slamming the door with a little more force than needed.

Both Josiah and Clarisse bolted upright at their friend's sudden outburst. True, they were used to seeing this kind of situation before but it was never a good thing to see a pissed Stephen de Faunte, no matter what occasion.

"Let me guess," Josiah began, rubbing his chin subconsciously, "Your grandfather made a decision you don't like again, correct?"

"I hate him," Stephen said, not hearing what his friend said as he continued pacing inside the room. The two watched as he walked here and there, already mentally calculating on what he will do to turn things around. Finally it was Clarisse who broke the silence after the de Faunte heir's outburst.

"What is it this time, Step?" she asked gently, as if it will calm her friend down.

"He wants me to stay here until Friday," Stephen said irritably, flinging his hands as if it was a very big deal then he slumped on a nearby stool.

It was not what the two had been expecting but if it would make the de Faunte heir that frustrated then apparently the situation must be of great importance. Josiah and Clarisse glanced at each other, both had the same question in their heads but it was Josiah who asked it for both of them.

"So?" the airline heir asked, "Any appointments on that day?"

Stephen opened his mouth to say something, only to close it again. Then he heaved out a sigh and avoided their glances as he focuses his own glance towards the floor and answered sheepishly, "I promised her that I'll go to their Christmas Concert on that day."

"Her?" Clarisse asked immediately, completely surprised and mortified at the same time. It took her a lot of effort to push away the thoughts that immediately entered her mind the moment he said that pronoun.

Josiah raised an eyebrow, in a rather amused and teasing way, "Their Christmas Concert?"

"She plays the clarinet," Stephen answered with a sheepish smile, a way that so many girls found it cute but of course the young heir is either clueless about it or he is just ignoring it.

"She?" Clarisse asked again. Her heartbeat started to go faster, a little tensed for some reason.

While Clarisse was having a mental battle with herself, Josiah was grinning stupidly at Stephen, with a main intention to tease the young heir further, "So it will be a classical concert?"

"Great guessing Sherlock," Stephen answered sarcastically, rolling his eyes exasperatedly to prove his point. He was about to give a witty retort but all of that died in his throat when he saw the wide stupid grin from his best friend's face. Stephen knew that smile and at times he didn't like it.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked pointedly. Now it was Josiah's turn to roll his eyes in exasperation with a 'well-duh' expression on his face.

"You are willing to go to a classical concert despite of swearing that you will have nothing to do classical music anymore for someone you just met for almost less than a month, who wouldn't smile at that?" Josiah countered, that smile still plastered on his face.

While Josiah was enjoying teasing his best friend, Clarisse was feeling uneasy as the conversation stretches. After that last sentence, she finally fits all of the pieces together and to say that she was surprised was a huge understatement. It was as if a blue moon phenomenon occurred. As far as she knows, no one in the de Faunte family plays the clarinet except for Thomas and last she check, Thomas is a he not a she. It was rare for Stephen to promise something like that to a girl that is outside the de Faunte family; he rarely even makes promises like that to her so it was surprising to know that he did something like that. Unwillingly, her mind put all of the pieces together and she didn't like it.

"What are you talking about?" she asked curiously. There was still a chance her assumptions are wrong. And as expected, the boys just ignored her like they did a few minutes back; which was starting to get on her nerves.

"I could go there as a representative if you want. I'll leave my private jet behind so if you're done with whatever it is that you needed to do, you can just fly over there," Josiah said, now with an air of authority that he usually lets off when discussing in business meetings, "I'll tell the airport employees to give you the extreme VIP treatment too,"

Stephen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Josiah's words.

"Why do you need to go there?" he asked looking at Josiah in the eyes, sounding slightly protective to Clarisse's ears

"I want to see her," Josiah answered casually, not breaking eye contact either.

No words were exchanged after that. They just stared at each other's eyes for a while, not daring to blink. Clarisse glanced back and forth between the two. Some people might say that she is worried by the actions of her friends but honestly, she is not. She has seen them like this so many times that she lost count. It was one of those things she cannot understand with those two. They weren't really staring at each other with curses roaming their heads. This staring match is like a lie detector test, an understanding those two shares that sometimes made her feel left out.

And it's doing little to improve her temper that moment

The silence and the staring match was finally broken by Stephen with a smile on his face, "Thanks for the offer, Josh"

Josiah smiled as if saying '_you're welcome_' but then the smile faded slowly as his expression turned slightly serious, "However, you need to tell her that you are not coming in advance,"

There is that word again.

"Who is this 'her' you kept on talking about?" Clarisse demanded

"I'll call her tomorrow," Stephen answered with a nod, again ignoring Clarisse much to her annoyance. She was nearing her boiling point now.

"Ignore me again and I'll throw both of you off this place," Clarisse said ominously with a threatening aura enveloping her like some sort of source energy as she stood up for emphasis. She is not going to let them ignore her again and she is getting an answer no matter what.

Stephen and Josiah immediately looked at each other, silently calculating the time it would take to run away from the wrath of the Thersvone heiress to be able to see the next sunrise. Stephen was about to explain a bit of the situation to her when someone knocked on the door. The aura in the room immediately dropped to normal, even Clarisse became suddenly calm and recollected at the sound of the knock.

Then after hearing another knock, Stephen finally stood up to open the door.

A servant stood there sheepishly, blushing madly for some reason. Josiah could only guess the servant wasn't expecting that Stephen would be the one who would answer the door. Typical.

"Master Stephen, Mistress Easter wants to see you…" the servant said in a shaky voice.

"_Talk about being saved by the bell_," Stephen thought. Though he was suddenly intrigued as to why his cousin Easter was there but for now he was just happy to have an excuse to get away. At least he won't have to face the wrath of Clarisse Thersvone. Glancing at Josiah he said, in a rather teasing tone, "Good luck buddy,"

"Wha -?" was all Josiah could say for a short period of time but he finally got his bearings. He hitched his thumb at Clarisse's direction and looked at Stephen, almost pleading as he asked, "I can tell her?"

Stephen walked to the door then glanced at his friends with his best mocking smile as he flatly answered, "No,"

"What?" both of them asked, eyes wide, almost pleading. Stephen chuckled as he started walking towards the door again while Josiah was already forming the right words to explain things to Clarisse.

"Step!" Clarisse protested as a last attempt to extract the information from him but it didn't seem to work because all Stephen could answer back is an amused chuckle.

Once Stephen was out of sight Clarisse turned her attention to Josiah, making the young man gulp and breaking into cold sweat.

"You are telling this to me no matter what," Clarisse said ominously

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	18. Chapter 18

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**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

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That night, Shoko had trouble sleeping. It was one of those rare nights where she could not sleep. First, she just closed her eyes and waited for sleep to visit her but unfortunately, it did not come. She tried different positions but still, her efforts were in vain. She glanced at the clock on the desk. It was thirty minutes before one o'clock in the morning.

Shoko let out a sigh as she stared blankly at her ceiling. Though she cannot comprehend why, she had a very uneasy feeling; as if something is wrong. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling, Shoko finally decided to drink a glass of milk or water, whatever there that is available, to help her soothe that uneasy feeling.

As she walked down the hallway, she first stopped by her nephews' room. It became a habit of hers to check on them during nighttime whenever they were with her, especially since Tachi has the tendency to fall off the bed and stay asleep until morning comes. It really amazes Shoko on how the kid could sleep like a rock when tired. Quietly, she opened the bedroom door and peeked inside. She could easily identify the sleeping figure of young Tachi on the bed. However, that is all there is.

Just Tachi and no Reiko.

Shoko felt her blood turn cold as she opened the lights. Her eyes immediately found a piece of paper on the nightstand near the bed. One look at it and Shoko immediately recognized Reiko's handwriting. Since the boy's penmanship in Japanese is not that readable, Shoko took a few moments to decipher what the note contains and finally after reading and looking at it through and through, she finally got it.

It read:

_I'm going to wait for Mommy and Daddy at the train station. Please don't worry about me,-Reiko_

For a moment, all Shoko could do is stare at the paper in her hands.

A few more blinks and finally realization dawned upon her. Without any second thoughts, she ran down stairs, taking two steps at a time and jumping on the last three steps. It was as if her mind is on autopilot. She grabbed the first coat she found hanging near the door and put on her shoes before opening the front door, letting in a small chilly breeze.

'_If Reiko left the house minutes ago then would he be freezing to death by now?' _With that thought, Shoko felt the urge to step outside. Without any second thoughts, Shoko stepped into the chilly night air and closed the door behind her. It had not snow yet so the footprints on the snow were not covered yet.

'_At least that is good thing', _she thought as she ran following the tracks on the snow, 'E_verything will be alright'._

Shoko was never one to believe in omens and bad lucks but somehow she felt like she just jinxed the whole situation. Snow began to fall when she was halfway from the villa. At first it was only a little bit so she just ignored it and continued walking, following the small footprints on the snow while she can still see them.

It was after a few minutes when the snow began to fall heavier than before, Shoko could notice the difference on the depths of the snow she is threading though. Her limbs are already aching from the cold since her sweatpants is not made for walking out on this kind of weather. Even her coat was doing a poor job to keep her warm because it was thinner than the usual outdoor coats. In an attempt to warm herself, she wrapped her arms around herself. She was hoping that a cab would pass by but that seemed a little far-fetched considering the current time.

However, of course, it would not hurt to hope.

Reiko would be near the train station by now or that he is already in the train station. Shoko clenched her fist as she made a mental note to scold her cousin about this if he arrives.

Shoko was so caught in her own thoughts that she did not notice a rock on her path. But too late, her foot struck it and she immediately lost her balance; falling into the snow.

"Why do I have to be such a weak-link_,_" she muttered to herself as she clenched her first to prevent herself from crying because of the new throbbing pain on her foot. In addition to that, her legs were having very painful cramps due to the cold.

She was already a few blocks away from train station. She can already see it from where she is right now, so crying is not an option. But still she felt like her limbs have been paralyzed because of the cold and the pain is increasing by each passing moment. Every time she attempted to move her legs, pain would shot thought her body as if some invisible force is twisting her leg.

Shoko bit her lip as she once again tried but still it was no use. At this rate, she really wanted to cry for being helpless but she once promised herself that she would not cry easily from now on.

"Fuuyumi-san!" she heard someone call her name. It sounded distant so she felt like she is imagining it. Shoko tried to move her legs again but it felt like the pain doubled.

"Fuuyumi-san!" the same voice called again but this time it sounded nearer

Taking a deep breath in Shoko mustered her strength to look behind her. There was a young man running towards her. On instincts, Shoko mustered her strength once again to turn herself over; her back, now half-resting on the snow since her left elbow is supporting her weight. The front of her clothes were slightly soaked due to the snow and now, the back of her coat was about to be soaked as well. Her sweatpants were in a much worse condition.

The young man who was calling her suddenly started to run faster. Shoko took a breath in, preparing for the worst at the same time half of her was hoping for a miracle.

"Fuuyumi-san," he called again and this time Shoko recognized the voice. They were not that close but she knew whom that voice belongs to. It was the same voice that made her feel important and not alone whenever she is with the other students of their year.

"Sh…Shh….Shi...Shi" Shoko stammered as she tried calling for him but as it turns out, her mouth wasn't fully functioning because of the cold and her teeth is chattering uncontrollably.

"Are…you…alright…Fuuyumi-san?" the blonde cellist asked in between pants, resisting the urge to put his hands on his knees to catch his breath. He took one deep breath in and closed his eyes for a moment to regain his composure.

"Shi...Shi…Shi…Shi…" Shoko tried once again but failed miserably as her teeth began to chatter one more. She couldn't express the joy and relief she felt at that moment; she almost felt like crying.

And so she did. Tears ran freely down her cheeks at the relief she felt.

"What happened, Fuuyumi-san?" Keiichi asked, completely alarmed upon the sight of the crying girl. Honestly, he does not know what to do at that moment, "What's wrong?"

"I….Fff…Ffine," Shoko managed to say through her chattering teeth.

Without waiting for her to give a reply, Keiichi held out his hand for her to grab on. Despite of being unsure whether her limbs can handle it or not, Shoko grabbed his hand. With a firm yet gentle tug, Keiichi tried to lift the clarinetist off the freezing snow. However, as soon as her legs felt the weight being passed down to them, they immediately gave away; making Shoko yelp in pain. Fortunately, Keiichi reflexes where fast enough to support her before she hits the snow again.

"I got you. Don't worry," he said gently as he steadied her but the pain was unbearable for Shoko. It was as if thousands of needles were pricking her limbs.

"L…let…m...m…me…s…s…s…sit, p…p…please?" Shoko whimpered as she clutched Keiichi's arms harder like it was her lifeline.

"Alright," Keiichi said as he gently set her back down on the snow. Shoko involuntarily winced then shivered the moment her rear touched the snow covered ground. Now, Keiichi was even more worried than before. "Are you hurt Fuuyumi-san?"

Shoko licked her lips, hoping that it will help her speak but it felt colder than before once her warm tongue left it. She quickly shook her head in denial to what the cellist asked but unfortunately, her current physical state is telling him another story. But nevertheless, despite of her chattering teeth, she tried to speak once again to prevent Keiichi from jumping into various conclusions.

"I…it's…j…just cr...cramps," she managed to say as she shivered involuntarily at a sudden gale that passed by.

Realization dawned on the cellist's face but Shoko can see a bit of confusion. Without another word, Keiichi took off his coat and draped it around Shoko, fastening the first two buttons for her so the coat would not fall off. Then in one swift movement, Keiichi carried her in his arms in a bridal style lift.

Shoko immediately felt her insides do some flips that made her extremely uneasy and her heat started beating twice as fast.

"Sh...She…S…Sh...h..im..zu-k…kun,"

"What are you doing out here, anyway?" the cellist asked, immediately cutting her off. Though his tone was the usual sleepy one, to Shoko it felt different. To her, his tone was slightly scolding. But that was just her. She did not know if it is just the effect of being in the cold for a long time but nevertheless at that question, Shoko felt like hiding. She had to admit, going out on her own was a foolish thing to do but when Keiichi asked that question, she felt ashamed and selfish.

Why didn't she think of waking up someone to accompany her?

Ryoma had a jeep, why didn't she wake him up?

Though she wanted to ask him the same question, her intimidated side told her that she should not for it was not the best situation at the moment. They still have Reiko to find.

"R…Reiko…ran a…away," Shoko managed to say, taking a deep breath in as she prepared herself to continue, "I…I…I th..think…he is..in the..t…train…st…station,"

Keiichi looked down at her but Shoko stubbornly refuses to look up at him. Then finally, Keiichi heaved out a sigh and answered, "I'll help you find him,"

"B..but - " Shoko began to protest but all her mouth could do is to chatter even though she tried hard not to think about the cold at the moment.

"At this rate, you are unable to move on your own, Fuuyumi-san, especially since your legs are hurting that much," Keiichi answered still in his usual sleepy tone but this time he sounded more caring than scolding to Shoko's ears.

Shoko couldn't figure out what to say as Keiichi walked to the general direction where the train station is. She knew that she was blushing madly but because of the cold, she can't seem to feel the heat on her cheeks. Honestly saying, she can't feel her limbs either but she can clearly hear her heart pounding faster than before as is it is threatening to jump out of her chest.

Though the distance them and the train station from their current position is not far, for Shoko it felt longer. She tried to open up a conversation to ease the awkwardness she is feeling but whenever she tried opening her mouth it would automatically chatter or on some occasions, it would stiffen; making her unable to speak. After three tries, she finally gave up and just put up with the uncomfortable silence between them. But Shoko had to admit, she believes she is the only one who feels uncomfortable with the situation and the flipping in her stomach is not helping her calm down either. Keiichi, on the other hand, had an unreadable expression on his face. Shoko guessed that maybe his whole mind was set on getting to the train station quicker.

A thought struck her, how heavy was she? It would be extremely embarrassing if she weigh heavier than she looks. Her stomach did another flip, adding up the uneasiness she is already feeling. Now she could slightly feel that she is blushing. Then unexpectedly, her whole body shivered involuntarily, again. This was enough to catch the cellist attention once again for he looked down the clarinetist with more worry than before.

"You really are freezing," Keiichi muttered under his breath but Fuuyumi heard him clearly, "Don't worry we are almost there,"

She was not entirely freezing, thanks to the extra warmth of Keiichi's coat but whenever a breeze or a gale passed by she couldn't help but shiver and since some parts of her clothes are slightly soaked due to the snow, the coldness she felt doubled whenever the wind passed by.

Finally, they reached the entrance of the station. It was just a simple structured building so everyone can go in and out anytime. There were several benches there for the passengers to sit on while waiting for their train to arrive. However, the first trip for the train was around five o'clock in the morning so Shoko doubt there will be passengers already waiting there, especially at this weather condition.

Shoko heaved a sigh of relief once they entered the station. The fluorescent lights seem to give off some warmth and the building itself provided a form of warmth and protection from the falling snow outside. But still it couldn't stop the cold wind from blowing in.

"There's Reiko," Keiichi said calmly.

Shoko glanced sideways to the general direction Keiichi is looking at and sure enough, Reiko was there sitting beside an elderly man on one of the benches, bundled up in a thick jacket that was obviously not his.

"Rei…Rei…Reik…" Shoko tried to call out but it feels like her tongue is frozen. She can't even make her voice grow louder so it was barely a whisper. Mentally scolded herself for she can't even call out her nephew's name. Before she could gather up her energy to shout the boy's name, the elderly man who was taking to the young boy gestured to their direction making Reiko turn around to see what it is.

To say that Reiko was surprised was a huge understatement, he was completely shocked. Shoko didn't know if the boy was shocked because they went there on that kind of weather or the fact that Keiichi was carrying her in her arms in a bridal lift - or maybe both. Shoko let a smile grace her features. At least Reiko is safe.

"Thank goodness," she muttered under her breath. Then a thought struck her, she can speak normally again.

Keiichi gently let her down on the bench next to Reiko, who was now crying for some reason. Without a word, Shoko hugged her nephew, kissing the top of his head affectionately. That simple gesture was enough to make the young boy cry even louder.

"Sho-neechan," Reiko cried as he hugged her tighter, "I am so sorry, Sho-neechan."

Shoko smiled fondly as she made hushing sounds to Reiko, planting another kiss on his head. Then she glanced up to Keiichi and gave him a sweet grateful smile to which the young lad subconsciously returned with a smile of his own

""Everything will be alright," Shoko said and she ran her hand across the young boy's hair, "Stop crying,"

"I'm sorry, Sho-neechan. I told you not to follow me but you did…and…I'm sorry," the young boy sobbed

"Just promise me you won't do it again, okay?" Shoko answered holding the boy's cheeks, gently wiping his tears with her thumb. Reiko nodded enthusiastically as if to show that he really is sorry for his actions. Shoko then let out a gentle smile, relief visible in her golden orbs, "You really scared me,"

"Your hands are cold," was all Reiko could say Shoko continued to wipe the tears off the young boy's face. Shoko just smiled at what Reiko said. For now, everything felt all right; despite of the numbness and the slight pain she is feeling.

Reiko glanced upward to his side, "Keiichi-niichan. I'm so sorry,"

Keiichi was not expecting that sudden apology or that sudden attention but, nevertheless, he smiled at the young boy and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Like what your Sho-neechan said, just don't do it again. You really worried her," the cellist answered.

"I promise," the boy answered, his eyes big and full of sincerity. Keiichi gave a chuckle and ruffled the boy's hair once again, making the boy giggle while Shoko just watched them with an amused smile. Reiko then gasped as if he just remembered something trivial. He turned to the elderly man beside him, who was trying hard to hide his amusement at the situation before him. Reiko then turned back to his neechan and niichan, his big smile never fading.

"Sho-neechan, Keiichi-niichan…this is Mr. Takashi Mazmuto. He is a novelist and he was the one who lend me this coat," Reiko said enthusiastically as he hugged himself tighter obviously enjoying the warmth provided by the coat. Then Reiko turned to the elderly man, "And Mr. Takashi, this is my Sho-neechan. She is the one taking care of my brother and me whenever my parents are away. And this is Keiichi-niichan, Sho-neechan's friend."

"A pleasure to meet you," the old man, Takashi, said with a polite nod and an amused smile.

"Likewise sir," Keiichi answered in equal politeness, giving a small bow of his own as a sign of respect, to which the old man returned by smiling approvingly at him.

"And thank you for watching over Reiko," Shoko added with a polite bow of her own, gratitude obvious in her golden orbs.

"I was quite surprise when I found this young lad here, especially at this time of the day. It was a good thing he arrived here before the snow started to fall or else he would have gotten a cold," Takashi said, ruffling Reiko's hair as the young boy smiled sheepishly.

"He also told me it was wrong that I left without saying anything to you," Reiko added shyly, playing with his fingers. Then a thought struck him as he looked up to the elders around him, "But, Mom and Dad will come this time, right?"

"They promised you, right?" Shoko answered, not sure on how to handle the situation at hand. Shoko looked up at Keiichi for help but the young cellist wasn't looking at her, if anything, he seems to be avoiding her gaze.

"That's what they said last time," Reiko answered timidly, eyes looking down on the floor.

Shoko sighed and shook her head lightly as a form of unspoken surrender, "Maybe they changed,"

"Maybe they didn't," Reiko, answered back, the hint of bitterness in his tone caught everyone's attention; especially Keiichi. Unknown to everyone, the situation was like déjà vu to him.

"We should be heading home," Keiichi said suddenly, glancing down at Shoko and Reiko. Shoko was relieved at the sudden change of subject and as an answer; she nodded her head in agreement, to what the cellist said.

"Who do we call to get us?" the cellist asked. At the question Shoko involuntarily raised her eyebrows bewilderedly at the young cellist so he proceeded to continue to make himself clear, "We can't walk all the way back, that is one thing; especially in this weather condition. And even if I carry Reiko all the way back, you are in no condition to walk all by yourself,"

With that nicely put, Shoko pouted a little at her defeat but nevertheless she had no choice but to agree. It was her own foolishness that caused her in this situation anyway.

"Sho-neechan, what happened to your leg? Why was Keiichi-niichan carrying you when you arrived here?" the young boy immediately asked, eyes wide in curiosity.

"It's nothing. Just some leg cramps," Shoko answered with a small sheepish smile then she turned to Keiichi and continued, "We can call Ryoma,"

Keiichi patted his pants as if looking or more like feeling for something then he looked up sheepishly at Shoko and said, "I left my phone,"

"I think I can lend you mine for a while," Takashi said as he fished out his cellular phone and gave it to Shoko.

Due to the unexpected gesture from the stranger, Shoko just stared at the phone for a while then finally, as if snapping out of a trance, she gently took the cellphone and smiled thankfully at the old man, mumbling a sincere, "Thank you," before calling Ryoma's number; hoping that he would wake up, take the call. Honestly, she would rather have a grumpy Ryoma on the phone than no Ryoma at all. Among her cousins, Ryoma is the most difficult to wake up, to the point that they have to throw him in the pool to wake him up because the typical 'rolling him off the bed' did not seem to work on him. Of course, now that it was winter, they have to shove a bucket full of snow at him to wake him up.

While Shoko was desperately trying to contact her cousin, Takashi tried to spark a conversation between the clarinetist's companions, inwardly hoping that he can stop the fire of hate from starting inside the young boy's heart before it consumed him.

"My boy, why do you hate your parents so?" the elderly man asked

"For a lot of things," Reiko answered almost immediately but then he played with his fingers in a shy manner and added, "But I don't really hate them all the time. I only hate them when they are like this. I just want everything to be back to normal,"

Takashi shifted in his seat then looked at the young boy, "Well my boy, let me say something to you. Take it as an advice from an old man. Hate does not benefit anyone. Your parents may not be the type of parents you want to be. If you are looking for a perfect mother or father out there, you are not going to find one. If you want things to go back as they used to be then the first action should come from you and hate is not the answer. It is forgiveness,"

Keiichi looked at the old man for a moment then averted his gaze away from him to stare at nothing in particular. He felt a pang inside him at the old man's words. However, every human is stubborn in his or her own way and some things are not easy to let go.

"Grudge is a lethal weakness, my boy. Soon it will grow and corrupt you," the old man added with a knowing smile, "I learned that the hard way,"

"Finally!" Shoko exclaimed, drawing the attention back to her though she didn't seem to notice it yet, "Ryo - oh sorry,"

Shoko paused for a bit listening intently to what the person on the other end is saying then after that she heaved out a sigh and explained to whoever it was on the other end the shortcut version of the situation at hand. After listening for a few more moments, she bid the person on the other end goodbye. When the call ended she gave the phone back to its owner and then turned to Keiichi and told him, back in usual shaky voice, that: "It was Miyuko-san who answered the call since Ryoma has trouble waking up but he is awake now and he will be here in fifteen minutes,"

Keiichi just nodded absent-mindedly.

"Oh," Shoko gasped, mortified at the fact that she forgot something that important. She turned to Takashi and gave him a bow she could muster while still sitting on the bench, "Thank you for using your phone and sorry for forgetting to say thank you earlier,"

Takashi blinked then laughed, "It's alright. Apology accepted." He said then ruffled Reiko's hair, "This young boy is right about his neechan. Always polite he said. Though, I don't know your real name; both of you."

"Oh," Shoko began as her cheeks felt warm by that sudden complement causing her voice to shake a little, "My name is Shoko Fuuyumi and this is my friend, Keiichi Shimizu."

Keiichi smiled a little at Shoko's little improvement, at least her teeth wasn't chattering uncontrollably every time she spoke. Then he gave another bow to Takashi, as if they were introducing themselves as complete strangers. At the mention of his name, Takashi looked at the young cellist knowingly; as if he knew something that, they didn't, making Keiichi self-conscious for some reason.

"And you two are a couple, yes?" the old man asked, raising his eyebrows. The two musicians looked at each other automatically then looked away in a blink of an eye; a blush can be seen across their faces if one stared long enough. If it weren't for the cold, it would be completely visible for everyone to see.

"No," they said in perfect unison as if they rehearsed it, making Reiko giggle and the old man chuckle heartily for some reason.

"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions," the old man said as he tried to smoother the chuckle down, "You two must be really close friends to go on looking for this young boy in this time of the night,"

As her mind was slightly panicking at being confronted in that matter, Shoko began retelling what happen earlier to clear suspicions while Keiichi zoned out as he sat on the pavement, hugging his knees together and resting his chin on top of it, as he stared at his companions.

To be honest it was by luck that he learned that Reiko ran away; it was one of those nights when he suddenly felt thirsty for no reason. So he stood up and went to the kitchen for a drink. He already downed two glasses of water when he heard a few thuds at the stairs. He was expecting to see Miyuko, but boy was he wrong when he saw Shoko jumping on the last of the stairs instead. He watched her head towards the door, grabs her coat then went outside.

To say that he was baffled was a huge understatement. As curiosity is getting the best out of him, he headed up the stairs and got a coat of his own. That's when he noticed the lighted room near Shoko's own room. Without any second thoughts, he went to the room and found only one boy sleeping on the bed. Dozens of questions entered his mind as his eyes subconsciously scanned the room. That's when he noticed the note lying on the floor. After reading it, Keiichi immediately went out to follow the clarinetist.

However, he wasn't expecting to find her sprawled on the snow, writhing in pain.

"Guys," Ryoma's voice broke Keiichi in his thoughts, as his voice continues to echo around. Keiichi whipped his head to the general direction of his voice and true enough Ryoma was heading toward their direction.

"Ryoma-niichan," Reiko exclaimed happily then he looked at Takashi, saying, "That's my Ryoma-niichan,"

Keiichi heard Shoko let out a sigh of relief, making him look at her immediately. Though no words were spoken between then, the look they gave each other was enough to convey their thoughts. Keiichi gave her a worried look, silently asking her if she was all right and in return, Shoko gave him a small smile as she tried to prove that she was all right by moving her legs in an attempt to stand up but ended up wincing in pain.

"I'm fine," Shoko managed to say automatically.

Keiichi just shook his head lightly before letting out a small yawn, "You are a bad liar, Fuuyumi-san,"

Shoko looked down sheepishly mumbling an apology in the process. Keiichi gave another yawn, but smiled after that, "Don't be," he said as he stood up, brushing some dirt of his pants, "It's a good thing that you are. It means that you don't lie often,"

"What happened to you?" Ryoma asked immediately when he reached their spot. Shoko mentally winced, how come people can read her that easily?

"I'm fine, just some cramps." Shoko answered, not meeting her cousin's eye.

Ryoma rolled his eyes sarcastically, "Sure. Really what happened?"

"It's a long story," Shoko answered with a sigh but her tone sounded as if she was saying 'I'm not telling anything to you' to which Keiichi found slightly surprising and amusing.

Ryoma raises an eyebrow but did not say anything.

"Shall we get going then?" Shoko asked in a desperate attempt to divert the attention she is drawing on herself, then she let out an involuntary sneeze.

"Bless you," Reiko said with a big smile.

"You better hurry home. I think Miss Fuuyumi is catching a cold," Takashi said.

Ryoma and Keiichi nodded simultaneously though they did not mean to do so. Ryoma took Reiko in his arms while Shoko returned the coat Reiko borrowed and thanked the man again for his help, to which the old man accepted with an amused laugh.

Thankfully, Shoko manage to walk on her own this time, though Keiichi was not far behind. Relief washed over her as she entered the warm vehicle. However, that did not stop a sneeze from letting itself loose, earning a concerned look from her cousin and the blonde cellist.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"Sho-neechan," Reiko began as Shoko tucked his in his bed

Shoko kissed his forehead, "Yes dear?"

"I'm so sorry for the trouble I caused you and Keiichi-niichan and Ryoma-niichan," the boy said, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

Shoko sighed and kissed his forehead once again, "Like I said, just don't do it again,"

"I won't,"

"Good," Shoko answered, "Now get some sleep,"

Reiko nodded happily, "Sho-neechan, I love you."

Shoko stopped on her tracks then smiled warmly at the young boy, "I love you too,"

Unknown to her, someone was watching by the door, wanting to say something to the musician but after seeing her, the person just resolved to smiling and then left without letting the two know.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	19. Chapter 19

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

Usually, whenever Shoko slept late in the night - or had any sleep at all - she would just sleep-in in a few more hours and then she is the same as ever. Only the best observer and the person who knew her well can guess that she had hardly slept.

However, the situation that morning was different,

Shoko woke up with a headache. Her head felt like something is on them. Half of her wanted to just stay and sleep for the rest of the day but her logical side is the one nagging her to get up and not waste the day by just sleeping in. With a huge effort, she tried to stay awake for a minute or two to get accustomed to the sudden brightness of her surroundings. It wasn't long before she decided to sit up instead of fighting the sleepiness away. However, in that one swift motion, her vision momentarily became blurry and she had a little trouble breathing. Fortunately, it was gone as soon as it appeared.

Shoko let a deep breath in and then exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself down.

Maybe she was just a little jumpy.

She just sat there for a full minute, taking her mind off the sudden discomfort she is feeling. She let her eyes wander around her room, noticing a few details she didn't notice before. Then finally, her eyes shifted back to the frame beside her bed. It was a picture of the whole Fuuyumi Family and extended family during their family reunion at New Year's Eve three years ago. Her hair was still long then and her nephews were still babies - on Tachi's case, was still inside his mother's womb.

Everything was simpler back then.

Then her gaze fell on the bracelet placed near the frame.

Shoko allowed herself a small smile as took the bracelet to examine it once again. She would always look at it whenever she had trouble sleeping and most of the time; it would help her lure herself to sleep. But however, it would sometimes be the reason why she couldn't sleep.

She cherished every gift given to her since it was a rare occurrence that someone outside the family would give something that special to her. True, her friends have been giving her gifts but not all of them were pleased about it; most of them would just feel like giving because she gave them something, some were forced while others were just plain half-heartedly given.

As she placed the bracelet back on the table once again, her eyes flickered momentarily to her cellphone - that was still surviving even though she didn't have the chance to recharge since they arrive at the villa because she was stupid enough to forget her charger and sadly none of her companions brought anything compatible for it. Shoko assumed it would take a day or two before it would go completely empty.

Well, at least they would be leaving three days from now.

Finally gathering herself up, Shoko placed a great effort to stand up and do her usual morning routine.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

Keiichi Shimizu woke up to a very quiet surrounding. At first he shrugged it off as nothing but after he got himself cleaned and dressed up for the day, he headed down to the kitchen to have something to eat. He was sure that everyone must have eaten by now but once he got to the kitchen and headed for the fridge to get something to fill his hungry stomach, Keiichi didn't fail to notice a note stuck on the fridge door. The penmanship was nice enough though the letters were a bit bigger than he is used to.

Though he did try to ignore it, it was unbelievably hard to do so and he was sure that everyone in the villa read it by now. The note goes like this:

_Sho-chan,_

_Good Morning dear._

_Don't be worried if you find the house a little bit deserted, dear. I, the kids and Ryoma went to fetch that irresponsible cousin of yours from the train station. Hino-san, Amou-san, Mori-san said they needed to buy some things and took Hihara-kun and Tsuchiura-kun with them. The only people left in the house are Azuma-kun, Tsukimori-kun and Shimizu-kun. _

_We'll be back in the afternoon. I don't know about Hino-san and the others._

_Breakfast for you and Shimizu-kun is in the oven. Just heat it up._

_Yours,_

_Miyuko_

_P.S. We'll be expecting a visitor tonight. Just felt like telling you, to warn you. _

Keiichi involuntarily cocked his head slightly to the side after he finished reading the note. Then he glanced to where the oven was and sure enough there were two bowls sitting inside the said appliance; waiting to be heated up and be eaten.

Before he can do anything else, Shoko entered the kitchen; her side collided with the door frame as if she hadn't seen it in the first place. She blinked a couple of times before shaking her head slightly a few times as if to clear her mind then rubbed her eyes to wipe the exhaustion and sleepiness hanging around it. That's when she noticed the blonde cellist, giving her a concerned look with his head slightly tilted to the side

.

No one can blame Keiichi though. It wasn't every day when one sees a person, let alone Shoko Fuuyumi, do something as clumsy as that on a normal day.

"Oh, Shimizu-kun. You're awake already. Good morning," Shoko greeted sheepishly, her face immediately blushed at her sudden display of embarrassment so early in the morning. If anything she wanted the floor to eat her up right now to save her from the humiliation.

Keiichi blinked, still looking at her with concern. Then he finally snapped out of it and replied in his sleepy yet angelic tone of his, "Good Morning to you too, Fuuyumi-san."

Now this felt awkward.

Shoko mentally calmed herself; after all there is no need to do something that embarrassing twice. So she immediately attempted to change the topic away from her at any cost.

"Where is everyone?" she asked.

Though she was trying to divert the topic away from her, it was a logical question. When she was on her way down the stairs to the kitchen, the house was quiet than she was used too. Usually her nephews would be at the living room watching or if not playing around the house. However, today was different; it was as if the house was empty.

In response, Keiichi pointed at the note on the fridge. Shoko's eyebrows met in confusion as she eyed the note. Honestly, for a fraction of time, the note seems to blur but then when she blinked, it went back to what it was before. Without any second thoughts, she took the note and read it. One of her eyebrows rose as she read the second sentence, then it returned to its normal position for the rest of the duration of her reading only to scrunch both of her eyebrows together in a sort of disagreeing manner as she read the last part of the note.

During that time, Keiichi took the privilege of reheating their breakfast since Shoko was already preoccupied and based on her earlier actions, there is something troubling her.

Keiichi sat down on a nearby stool and he observed the young clarinetist as she reread the note in her hand; the small frown didn't leave her features. Something about the note seems to upset her but that wasn't what caught Keiichi's concern. Today, Shoko was a little different. Her eyes looked tired and they are slightly watery. Her skin was slightly pale but her face is slightly red for some reason since the blush she sported earlier already subsided. Keiichi doubt she was angry because if there is one emotion he could not associate Shoko with, its anger.

No one had ever seen the young clarinetist angry before.

Disappointed, yes.

Irritated, rare occasions but never angry.

For a moment, Keiichi wondered what Shoko would be like when she is angry. It's not like he wanted her to be angry but it was his curiosity asking.

"No wonder the house seems deserted," he heard Shoko mutter then she placed the note on top of the fridge.

She turned around slightly too fast that she nearly lost her balance. Luckily, she gripped the back of a nearby chair in time. She took a shaky breath in then straightens herself up, avoiding eye contact from the only person in the kitchen. That's when she heard the familiar ding of the oven and her eyes immediately turned to where the appliance is. Shoko was about to rush over and take the contents out but Keiichi beat her to it. He was already putting on some mittens as he made his way to the oven.

"You can just help me set up the table, Fuuyumi-san," she heard the cellist say in his usual sleepy tone.

Shoko nodded, even though Keiichi is not looking at her, and headed to the cabinets; carefully taking what she needed so she won't cause another commotion if she managed to break something.

Though a little bit shaky, Shoko managed to set the table for them as Keiichi placed their breakfast; which mostly consisted of three Italian recipes. Both of them sat down without a word since both of them were already hungry, after waking up late.

Shoko frowned as she picked up her fork. She didn't know why but she was feeling funny since she woke up. Shaking her head slightly as if it would shake the feeling off, she decided to let it slide and eat. Her stomach growled in agreement. After taking the first bite, she made a mistake in looking at the person opposite to her. Keiichi was looking at her with a mixture of confusion and worry across his face. For a moment, Shoko felt suddenly self-conscious.

"Errr -"

"Fuuyumi-san, are you alright?" Keiichi asked, interrupting whatever it is that she intended to say.

Shoko mentally winced. So Keiichi did notice her uneasiness.

"Oh, I'm fine," Shoko answered, hoping to be truthful enough though she was having doubts with herself as well. But as they say, one has to think positive, so she is. She was fine and that's that. She gave him a small smile then added, "No need to worry,"

Keiichi still continued to look at her but didn't say a word; as if he is not buying her answer. Given that she is a terrible liar; that was likely the case.

"Really, I'm fine. I'm just still a bit tired, I guess." She added sheepishly, her voice shaking a little, like that of a child's when he is caught doing something wrong. Honestly, she is truthful when she said that statement. Simple as that because no matter how she tried to cover it, she did felt like that: tired, very tired to the point that she wanted to sleep again.

But still, something about that felt wrong.

Keiichi looked at her for a moment then gave a small yet caring smile but his blue gentle eyes told her otherwise; they were still doubtful of her answer.

Shoko dropped her gaze on her plate, eyeing at her food. It would be pointless to explain further because it would only make her sound defensive. She stole a glance at the cellist sitting across her; he was just enjoying his meal. Shoko let her gaze fall back to her food and mentally smiled as she lifted a spoonful of food and ate it.

Silence engulfed them both and only the light clattering of the utensils whenever they made contact with the plates are heard. For a while Shoko seems to be at ease with the silence around them but the longer it is prolonged, the more times she remembered what happened the previous night.

Add that to the fact that she, for some reason, lost her appetite.

Oh, if she could just have the chance to relive that evening, she would have done anything to do it.

How could she do something so careless…so stupid?

She should have thought about it before running out in the open. She was really thankful that fate wasn't cruel to her that night or else she would have experienced worse than what she have been through the previous evening. If Keiichi wasn't there she would have frozen to death.

Glancing up, she looked at the cellist eating silently across from her, who was reading the back of a milk box with interest for some reason. Without hesitating a bit, Shoko let a smile form on her lips as she watched him silently. Unfortunately for her, Keiichi suddenly chose that moment to take a glance at her and as a result, caught her smiling at him.

Shoko immediately gasped sheepishly and looked down in a blink of an eye, her cheeks sporting an adorable blush; a trademark she made herself known for.

"Fuuyumi-san? Are you alright?"

Shoko swallowed a bit, calming herself as much as she can. She really wanted the ground to swallow her right now. Though slightly panicking inside, Shoko managed to look up and meet the young cellist's gaze shyly before shifting her gaze back at her plate again.

"Thank you, Shimizu-kun, for last night," she said, her voice shaking a little from nervousness and shyness but nevertheless, the young cellist heard it clearly since nothing was causing enough interference to drown her soft voice.

Keiichi smiled warmly, "You are welcome, Fuuyumi-san,"

Shoko allowed herself another small smile before it faded once she glanced back at her food. Yes, she has eaten but not as much as she was supposed to. She wanted to at least eat everything in her plate since it was a shame to throw out food but she felt her stomach can't take it anymore.

The food she was shoving in her mouth was already tasteless.

"I think I ate something delicious but I don't know which one," the cellist said all of a sudden, like a child's first time to eat something sweet. Then the cellist looked at her then frowned a little, eyebrows rising in slight worry as he asked her, "Are you not hungry, Fuuyumi-san"

"Not really," Shoko answered, voice lower than her usual nervous ones. She tried her best not to look at the cellist so she just resulted in standing up with her plate in hand and headed to the fridge. She looked at the food on the plate for a moment, as if debating on whether she should just throw it away or feed it to some stray animal outside, but finally decided on placing it in the refrigerator though she doubt she can even have the time to eat it later.

Keiichi gave her a questioning look but Shoko didn't look at his way so she didn't notice it so the cellist just had to voice it out, though this was the third time he had to ask, "Are you alright, Fuuyumi-san?"

Shoko was about to answer another excuse when the cellist butted in, "You don't seem to look fine, like something is troubling you. Is everything alright?"

Shoko mentally sighed as she flashed Keiichi a very sheepish smile with a blush to accompany it as she met his gaze, almost regretting it once she saw the look of concern on his face. Given what he saw the previous night, Shoko can't blame him.

Again, why does she have to be so careless?

"I'm fine. Just a bit tired but I'm fine," Shoko answered, not bothering to make it convincing because she knows the young cellist won't buy it. To ease her sudden nervousness, she began playing with her fingers as she continued, "You can just put the dishes in the dishwasher, Shimizu-kun. I'll be in the living room if you need anything,"

And with that she left the room in a pace quicker than her usual ones.

Keiichi sighed as he ate another spoonful of his breakfast as his mind accepted his earlier suspicions; something was wrong her today.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

Keiichi didn't do what he was told.

Instead of just placing it in the dishwasher link Shoko said, he washed the plates and utensils he used, dried them and then placed them in their respective cupboards. He couldn't help it. It was something his sisters impaled in his mind; like a mindset or something.

Besides, it would be ungrateful of him if he would just leave the things he just used just lying there. And another thing, he had a guess that Shoko would later come back and clean them and since she was not feeling quite herself, he just thought of relieving her from her chore.

Speaking of Shoko….

Keiichi went to the living room to see what the young clarinetist is doing. If she was doing something important then he could just go up and practice on his own but if she is not, then maybe they can rehearse their piece together.

The living room was the coziest place in the whole villa next to their own bedrooms. The fireplace gave enough warmth to the room and the velvety soft sofas where very inviting, Keiichi walked in the room, once again observing it as if this is the first time he entered it. The warmth of the fireplace was already inviting him to sleep in one of the sofas.

But Keiichi took his time.

He walked across the room, glancing at the slightly photograph covered portion of the wall, not far from the fire place itself. There, hung proudly in the frames, were the photographs of the Fuuyumi family and extended family. There was one photograph in which one familiar looking long-haired girl dressed in an off-shouldered gown, sat in an elegant looking chair, sitting stunningly with such grace and beauty like that of a princess or an empress, with seven young men wearing tuxedoes - most of them older than her by a few years - surrounding her with smiles of their own; two were sitting on the floor, two were sitting on both arms of the chair the young girl was sitting at, and the rest standing behind the girl. All of them took their places with pride as if they were the girl's bodyguards.

Keiichi couldn't help but smile as she noticed who the girl in the photograph was.

Shoko Fuuyumi indeed looked better with her hair long.

A whimper caught Keiichi's ears. Without missing a beat, he walked over to where the sound came from, making sure he was quiet so he won't startle or if not disturb whoever it was.

Once he peered over the large sofa, he was surprised to see Shoko's sleeping form. Without thinking about it twice, he walked over to the sleeping teen so that he was just a few steps away as he watched her.

Keiichi couldn't help but smile a little at the young clarinetist's sleeping figure. Her gentle face looked warm and serene, a light red hue colored her cheeks for some reason. One of her hands was placed at the side of her head, using it as a sort of pillow while the other hung limply off the couch. Her short hair was in mild disarray, probably from the numerous times she tossed and turned in her sleep.

Keiichi stared at the Shoko for a while, that small smile still hung on his lips. Shoko looked so fragile and vulnerable but at the same time so peaceful, so calm, so serene and carefree; as if she is finally relieved from whatever trouble that's plaguing her mind a while ago.

But still, something felt wrong.

The rhythm of her breathing is different from what Keiichi considered to be the normal rhythm. True, this was the first time he saw Shoko sleep so peacefully like that but based on normal observations, he could tell the difference. It's either the fact that Shoko sleeps that way or she is not feeling well.

At the last thought, Keiichi involuntarily reached out his hand towards her. Realization struck fast as he stopped himself before he could reach her. Even he was surprised with his own actions. Yes, he may mumble or voice-out things without even thinking sometimes but this is the first time something like this happened. However, that nagging feeling inside him is still alive and it's, well, nagging his mind that something is wrong about the young sleeping musician.

Taking a deep breath in, Keiichi gently let his fingers brushed Shoko's cheek. An unexplainable jolt went up his arms. His eyebrows met in slight confusion as he let go of the breath he was holding. He turned his hand ever so gently so that the back of his fingers were touching her cheek.

It felt hot.

Without any hesitation, he touched her forehead.

It felt even hotter than her cheek.

Keiichi's heart started to beat a little faster than its normal pace. Now he knew why Shoko was acting strange since that morning.

She was sick.

Shoko inhaled deeply all of a sudden. Keiichi took this as an advantage to question her so he shook her shoulder gently to wake her up. It wasn't hard, given that Shoko is not that of a heavy sleeper.

The said clarinetist opened her eyes tiredly and just stared at the person who woke her up for a while, her vision swimming for a moment until they finally formed the worried face of Keiichi Shimizu. Shoko's eyes immediately widen as she bolted to a sitting position, making her vision spin for a bit; thus losing her balance. Luckily, Keiichi was there to steady her.

Shoko opened her mouth to say some sort of excuse but was instantly silenced when Keiichi placed his palm on her forehead.

"You have a fever, Fuuyumi-san," the cellist stated simply as he removed his hand from her forehead

Though he may not show it, the situation stumped him.

Keiichi Shimizu was never good at taking care of other people when they are sick. Sure, he knew some of the basics but that's just it; basics. Besides, he rarely gets to try and earn an experience in his matter because, usually, he is the one who always gets sick in the family and his sisters would worry their minds when they are taking care of him and whenever one of his sisters would get sick, they usually were strong enough to move on their own and decline Keiichi's offer of help. So now, being in that situation was not making it easy for the young cellist.

If anything, it's making things awkward.

Shoko could only blink as her mind tried to process what the young cellist said. Normally it would have been easy for anyone but the hot feeling from her eyes is making Shoko sleepy again. The urge to close her eyes is getting stronger and stronger as tried to keep herself awake. She tried to suppress a yawn but that only resulted into making her eyes more watery than before. Shoko was about to close her eyes and once again submit herself into a soundless sleep when something cold placed itself on her forehead.

For a moment there, all she could do is sigh in relief. She was about to close her eyes and continue her sleep when the person who woke her up in the first place spoke.

"You definitely have a fever, Fuuyumi-san." Keiichi said, worry evident in his tone as he withdrew his hand from her forehead.

"I…have?" Shoko stammered as if she was in some kind of trance. For a quick moment there, Shoko wished Keiichi didn't take his hand away from her forehead; the coldness of it was quite relieving for her opinion.

That's when realization finally stuck its point. Subconsciously, Shoko reached up and placed her hand on her forehead and indeed it felt hot. She would be fooling herself if she kept on insisting that it isn't. She felt her face grew hot and she knew that she is blushing to the roots of her hair.

Thankfully, if Keiichi noticed it, she could just pass it as the reflection of the fire or her fever.

"You might have caught it last night," she heard him answer. Shoko glanced at the general direction where she believed him to be at just in time to see him close the medicine cabinet at the corner of the room with a thermometer in hand.

It was Shoko's mother who kept on insisting that they should put a medicine cabinet in every common room (e.g. the living room, the dining room, the bathrooms, the garage, the music rooms) in the villa; for emergency purposes of course.

"Here put this in your mouth for five minutes, Fuuyumi-san,"

Shoko looked at the thermometer for a good three seconds before hesitantly taking it from the young cellist and complied with his command. There was something in the young cellist's tone, a slight authoritative one, which convinced Shoko to drop every intention of insisting that she is fine and didn't need the thermometer. So, for the lack of a better description, Shoko did what she is told and placed the device in her mouth.

Fortunately, the young clarinetist managed to stay awake for the whole five minutes; focusing her attention on other things to keep her mind from dozing off. When Keiichi took the thermometer off, Shoko mentally sighed as she leaned her back against the sofa, closing her eyes because she can't help it any longer.

"You fever is pretty high, Fuuyumi-san. You -,"

Keiichi stopped and reached out just in time to catch the young clarinetist before she fell over the couch and hurt herself further. After a good three seconds, he heaved out a quiet sigh of relief then looked down at the girl he just caught. Her eyes were already closed and her breathing was a little faster than normal.

As if on cue, the girl gave an involuntary shudder as she unconsciously pressed herself into the little warmth she suddenly found. Keiichi's stomach did automatic flips.

"This is not a good place to rest, Fuuyumi-san. You should go to your room," After he failed to get a response from the girl, Keiichi shook her shoulders a bit and tried again, "Fuuyumi-san?"

But unfortunately, nothing happened. The cellist sighed and sighed again. He wished someone else is with him at that moment; Hino-san, Amou-san, Mori-san or Miyuko-san - anyone who can handle the situation better than him.

Keiichi sighed again for the third time.

Without really much of a choice, Keiichi shifted Shoko's position and soon he ended up carrying the young clarinetist in bridal style; her head resting just below his shoulder. Keiichi was partially glad that the girl was asleep or else she would surely notice the rapid beating of his heart, which he thought was started by the sudden jolt he felt when his sense awakened when he caught her.

Getting out of the room was easy, going up the stairs, however, was another matter. In all fairness, Shoko was lighter than Keiichi expected but no matter how light she is, the stairs is making it difficult for Keiichi.

The young cellist was already halfway up the stairs when a certain purple-haired senior suddenly chose that time to appear and descend the stairs but thankfully, he didn't notice them yet as he was scowling at his wrist watch. He was wearing one of his black suits and his hair was tied back in a low ponytail. On the first glance, one could easily guess that Azuma Yunoki was definitely not in such a good mood. However, the scowl on his face was instantly replaced with a mix expression of curiosity and amusement with a slight tinge of worry when he finally noticed them.

"Shimizu-kun," the flute-player began, eyebrows meeting together in a questioning manner, "Is everything alright?"

Keiichi shook his head lightly as he looked at his senior, "Fuuyumi-san has a fever,"

Azuma raised his eyebrows, probably wondering how the girl caught the sickness, then placed a hand on Shoko's forehead to cheek for himself. A frown found its way on the flute-player's features as he pulled his hand away from the girl's forehead, "Indeed she has. This is bad,"

"You're heading out, sempai?" Keiichi asked. Azuma gave a curt nod, clearly disliking the idea of leaving the warmth of the villa and going out in the snow.

"I'm on my way to meet up with some….errr…" he paused to think for a moment, maybe mentally regarding what term he would use to call whoever he was meeting, "…family friends in a nearby town."

"I trust that you know how to take care of her on your own?" the flute-player asked with a thoughtful look.

Keiichi gave an unsure nod, "I guess,"

"Good. I'll be back as soon as I can," Azuma answered, and then he started going down the stairs again. He was already three steps before the bottom when he stopped and turned to look at the young cellist, who was just stood there watching, and added, "Feel free to knock on Tsukimori's door if you need anything, okay?"

Keiichi nodded.

Azuma gave the boy a small smile, "Well, I'm going,"

"Take care, sempai."

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

When he finally got to set the young girl down on her bed, it was only then did the blonde cellist realize that his arms were slightly aching and his legs felt a little tired. He was half-tempted to lie down and sleep too but, with much effort, he fought the feeling and managed to tuck the Shoko under her covers. Keiichi sighed and placed a hand on the girl's forehead once again, making her furrow her brows unconsciously at the contact.

Keiichi withdrew his hand but his gaze never left her sleeping form.

Then he turned away and went out of the room, straight into the kitchen. He rummaged through the cabinets and found an ice pack. He was already filling it with ice when a certain violin player entered the kitchen with a glass in hand and his headphone slung over his neck with the music still playing was loud enough for Keiichi to make out; John Newton's master piece, Amazing Grace.

"What are you going to do with that?" the violinist asked immediately after assessing what his young junior is doing.

"Fuuyumi-san has a fever," Keiichi answered, eyeing the ice pack with uncertainty as he walked out of the room without even looking at his senior.

Len Tsukimori's eyebrows met in perplexity, "A fever?"

Then he looked at the blonde cellist again direction but unfortunately, he was already out of sight. Len frowned, for a person who always appear to be sleepy, sometimes he moves fast. With his mind still focused on the fact that one of their companions has a fever, though he can't seem to draw an exact conclusion on how that happened, he placed the glass on the sink. He was told that something within the Fuuyumi family happened last night and since it was none of his concerns, he didn't ask.

'_But surely, that has nothing to do with Fuuyumi having a fever,'_ he thought.

He was broken out of his musings when his phone vibrated, indicating that he just received a new text message. Len frowned, fished out his phone and looked. His eyebrow s met in slight curiosity at the name of the sender, it was from Azuma Yunoki. He knew that he left a few minutes ago and would send him a message if something important came up. Surely, something like that wouldn't come up that quick. If his assessment was right, the flute-player would only be half-way to town by now.

Shrugging the thought away, he mentally read the message: _Fuuyumi has a fever. I already told Miyuko-san. Assist Shimizu IF he needs help._

Len raised an eyebrow as he re-read the message. Of course he message was clear, the girl had a fever like Keiichi had said but the last part of the message is what got the violin player to raise an eyebrow. Something was definitely up, he was sure of it. With a sigh he returned his phone back in his pocket, grabbed a couple of bagels and a glass of orange juice from the fridge and headed up to his room to continue his practice.

Surely, the young cellist had everything under control.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

**A/N:**

**So, anyway, I hope I didn't mess up the chapter because for me, I don't think they acted a little out of character, especially Shimizu. But, hey, the girl is sick. Somebody should go out of his mind to worry since Stephen in not yet here. **

**I guess, that's all I have to say. On with the next chapter….**

**-juniperfalcon17**


	20. Chapter 20

**.**

**.**

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

Len Tsukimori was genuinely astounded at the sight before him.

It was around one o-clock in the afternoon when Len decided to check on their young juniors. He had a general idea on what sight he would expect when he got to the room and he got the scene right. Nevertheless, he was still astounded even though he knew he should not be. For anyone, it wouldn't be something special, but to them who had spent their time with them and even consider them as friends, it something they couldn't place; a scene that could draw out small smiles and raise eyebrows and cause deathly glares (though he hopes nothing like that is to happen.).

Sleeping peacefully on the bed, with an ice pack over her forehead, is no other than Shoko Fuuyumi. She looked almost as angelic as the cellist sleeping on the chair did. He used the table beside the bed to place his right arm, using it as a pillow. A book lay open on his lap, almost threatening to fall off. He let a ghost of smile grace his features before deciding to walk in and wake up the young cellist from his slumber.

Keiichi Shimizu woke up on the first shake, which slightly surprised the violinist since at times it would be difficult to wake the young cellist up.

Keiichi focused his gaze on his senior's face and when he finally stepped out of his dream-like state and realized who it was, he just let out an involuntary yawn, "Tsukimori-sempai,"

"Is something wrong?" he added, straightening up from his current position.

The violin player glanced at him, "Shouldn't I be the one to ask you that?"

Keiichi did not answer. He just took the ice pack off the girl's forehead and placed his hand on it instead. Upon contact, he immediately frowned and his eyebrows met.

"Thankfully her fever is starting to go down," he stated as he withdrew his hand, his voice still had that sleepy tone in it but to Len, he could detect the worried tone behind it. Len sighed and placed his own hand on the girl's forehead as well. The fever was high, no doubt - maybe somewhere 38.5 and 39 degrees - but it would go down after a day and a half; given the proper rest and medicine.

"You gave her some medicine?" Len asked and a nod was the cellist answer. He glanced at the wall clock again and felt compelled to ask, "Have you eaten yet Shimizu-kun?"

Again, the cellist nodded, "I had my breakfast,"

"I meant lunch," Len replied, with an eyebrow raised.

That is when the young cellist looked up to the wall clock and read the time. His eyebrows met in slight confusion, as if wondering how much time had passed and did not notice it.

"Oh, not yet sempai." He answered, eyes still staring at the clock

Len sighed and shook his head lightly, then he patted the young cellist on the shoulder, "You should go and eat something first. It's not good if both of you got sick,"

Keiichi looked at him for a moment then he was about to open his mouth, probably to argue, when Len gave him an authoritative look and quickly added, "I'll watch over her for a while, and no arguments,"

The tone in the violinist voice made it clear that Keiichi had no choice but to agree, so he just nodded politely, "Yes sempai,"

With that being said, Len patted the young cellist's shoulder once again before taking the recently abandoned seat next to the bed while Keiichi gave his senior a grateful bow before leaving the room to do as he was told. Once the blonde cellist was out of sight, Len let out a ghost of smile, shaking his head lightly, mentally chuckling at something he found funny.

Oh, the wonders of obliviousness.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"You should wake her up so she can eat," Len instructed when Keiichi came back from the kitchen. The violin player didn't know what his companion ate but if they have the same culinary skills, Len guessed Keiichi just settled with some bread, maybe some fruits and a drink; no cooking required, "She would be hungry by now,"

The violin player glanced at his companion then involuntarily raised an eyebrow at his direction for the young cellist was just looking at him. After a good three seconds of staring, Keiichi finally obliged to the instruction and walked up to the sleeping girl on the bed. Gently, he shook her by one shoulder to wake her up.

Shoko Fuuyumi woke up on the third shake and was genuinely confused; as if she had woken up on another world she is not familiar of. She looked at her surroundings, probably wondering how she end up in her room, till finally her sight landed on the two young musicians in the room with her. Both of them had a common expression on their features; worry with a tinge of relief.

"Shimizu-kun? Tsukimori-sempai?" she stated, unsure of what they were doing there, exactly. So, without any much hesitation, she asked, "What just happened?"

Her brain finally allowed herself to come to her senses, the same time she heard their violinist senior answer: "You have a fever, Fuuyumi-san but thankfully, your fever seems to go down now,"

"You had us worried there, Fuuyumi-san." Keiichi said, though he had on his usual angelic sleepy face, one could easily notice the worry in his tone; even to the one who just woke up from a rest.

Shoko looked down sheepishly, her cheeks were already flushed and she was playing with her fingers once again. A trait she usually does when she is feeling uneasy. If there were any older family members present, she would be scolded right away for being ill when she is, in fact, the host.

"Oh….I….I am so sorry," she said, not looking at her companions' eyes; her voice merely a whisper but due to the quietness of the room, they heard it. Keiichi let out a small smile as he sat on the now empty chair since Len decided to stand up.

Len raised an eyebrow, "Whatever for?"

"I've caused you so much trouble. If I -," she was cut off from her ramble when she heard a soft chuckle from the person beside her. Shoko immediately turned her head to look curiously at the young cellist, probably wondering what he found amusing in their current situation.

"No need to be sorry about that, Fuuyumi-san." Keiichi said, his small angelic smile was still there; making Shoko's insides twist funnily.

Sensing his cue, Len cleared his throat, "I'll be in my room if you need me,"

Then without waiting for any initial reaction from his two juniors, the blue-haired violinist left. Shoko let out a sigh then looked down at her hands. She was really angry with herself at that moment. It was bad enough that Keiichi came to her aid last night but being sick for almost the entire day and have him take care of her was worse. She felt completely useless; like a burden, a dead weight.

"I'll get you something to eat," she heard the cellist say, breaking her from her musings

"Please, you already took good care of me when I was asleep, Shimizu-kun. Don't trouble yourself anymore. I'm well enough to move on my own," she protested without hesitation, her tone was almost pleading, afraid that she had gone too far about something.

Keiichi stared at her for a moment, as if he is trying to read her thoughts. Blue eyes met golden ones and immediately, Shoko felt uncomfortable with the attention. Then a smile graced his features, an understanding smile that just made the young girl stare.

"It's alright Fuuyumi-san," he said, the smile still on his angelic face, "I'm doing this because I want to,"

Shoko opened her mouth for another protest but it was simple cut off when Keiichi immediately continued, "I'll be back in a few minutes,"

"Shimizu-kun," she called, stopping the young cellist just in time before he reached the door. Turning around, Keiichi gave her an inquiring look, tilting his head slightly to the side. Shoko gave him a genuine grateful smile, "Thank you Shimizu-kun. For everything,"

Keiichi returned the smile, "What friends are for, right?"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

**Meanwhile:**

Upon arriving at town, the group immediately went their separate ways to finish their task for that day, all hoping to arrive back at the villa early to have more time for preparations. Since they were using Ryoma's vehicle, he took the liberty of dropping his companions to wherever they were heading. They dropped the kids off at the train station first, where both of their parents were already waiting for them with smiles, though Ryoma can tell that it was forced, on their faces. Of course, the usual greetings took place; a scowling 'Finally, you arrived. But don't think you can get away with my lecture young man' and a sweet 'Hello Miss Arisa. Did you a nice trip?' from Miyuko and an ominous 'Drop by at the villa this afternoon or evening, Shoko wants to talk to you' from Ryoma.

After making sure that they will not be needed for the meantime, Ryoma dropped Miyuko off to the local supermarket, dragging Ryotaro and Manami along with her without even asking for them if they want to. Kahoko and Nami, on the other hand, went on a last-minute gift search for their small party the following day, taking Hihara with them to help in carrying bags or boxes. Thankfully it didn't take that long since they both saw what they wanted to buy on the third store they entered.

The three of them were just waiting for Ryoma to pick them up when they got distracted from the big discount on almost every item at a pastry shop. Being unable to resist the temptation of their sweet tooth, Kahoko and Hihara dragged Nami to the said store. As expected, the two bought pastries that could last for two days but can disappear in one night of they are the ones who will eat it. Nami mentally wondered how the two can stand such sugar, if that were her she would be overly hyperactive after finishing half of the foods the two bought.

'_Well, that explains why Hihara-sempai is hyperactive,_' she thought as she followed the two of them to the counter.

They were already the second ones in line when Kahoko suddenly gave a gasp then she slapped her forehead lightly, as if it was a punishment for any ridiculous act, she just made.

"Oh, gosh, I forgot to buy something," she said. She then placed everything she is carrying in Nami's arms, taking only her purse. She looked at both of her companions, and then said, "I'll be right back. Wait for me here,"

"Hin-," Nami tried but before she could even call out the red-head's name, she was already out the door. With that, the young journalist just gave an exasperated sigh, "And there she goes. Geez,"

"Whatever it is that she forgot, it must be pretty important," Hihara said, as he walked forward, placing the items in his arms on the counter, "Anyway, I'll just pay these then. You can just wait for me outside, Amou-san."

Nami gave the trumpet player a questioning look before nodding hesitantly, putting the items in her arms on the counter as well. "You sure you won't mind?"

The question must have sounded ridiculous than Nami thought because her companion gave a chuckle then he answered, "Yeah, I don't mind. I'll call you if I need some extra payment for all of this,"

That made Nami laugh in spite of herself, shook her head slightly in a playful manner before heading out of the store.

Not far from the store, a group of charity workers, a variation of volunteers from middle school up to college students, was singing some Christmas Carols while some of their companions were handing out leaflets or rotating donation boxes for the passersby. Another box was also placed in front of the singers for those who were kind enough to drop some money for donations.

Nami smiled for no apparent reason when she saw this; it always warms her heart to see some people, especially young ones like her, volunteer in activities like this for the benefit of others who are in need. It was one of the main reasons why she was so keen in helping with Seiso's Charity Concert.

Though she doesn't have much money left, she still walked over to the carolers and dropped some cash in the box as her donation. She was rewarded by a sweet grateful smile from a young girl who looked a little young to be in middle school. Instinctively, Nami smiled back.

She was only a couple of steps away from her original position when someone's rather hesitant voice called after her but instead of the usual 'Miss' or 'Ma'am' others use, the guy called her by her first name.

"Nami?"

Immediately, Nami turned around to look at the one who called her. Standing a couple of steps away from her was a guy, maybe around the same age as her, with flaming red slightly spiky hair and warm green eyes; eyes that she could recognize anywhere.

Nami suddenly felt slightly uneasy. Normally, she was good with dealing with situations slightly similar to this; seeing long-lost friends was never bad, she can deal with seeing past enemies either but seeing her ex-boyfriend was rather awkward, especially if the cause of their break-up wasn't clear.

"Mameru-kun," she finally managed to say, her hands suddenly felt cold.

Her response immediately brought a smile across the guy's face as if he just won first place at a contest, "Ha! You still remember me. That's great, for a moment there I thought you forgot about me,"

"You added a suffix, though" he added, with his trademark pout that Nami grew to love back then and still find it adorable till now.

Nami rubbed her left arm bashfully, giving the boy a sheepish smile, "I was just…caught off guard,"

"Yeah, I could see that," Mameru answered, the smile still on his face, like seeing Nami was the best thing that happened to him that day, "But it's great to see you. You haven't changed much. I like that,"

That statement made the young journalist blush involuntarily. For a moment, she felt like she was Shoko, her self-esteem diminishing by the second. She must have been obvious with her expression because Mameru gave her a worried look before something came into realization in his mind and that look became an amused smile.

"So, how's life? Heard you went to Seiso Academy and made it in the school paper," he said.

Nami blinked before finally nodding, rather sheepishly, "Yeah, I did."

Mameru's eyebrows met for a moment, like he usually does when he could tell that something was bothering her. He would have asked directly but given the circumstances, he just let it slide, "Well, I'm not really surprised, knowing how good you are,"

Nami immediately rolled her eyes, finally regaining what is left of her wit, "I haven't seen you in three years and you're still a bluffer,"

"I'm not bluffing, and you know it," he answered immediately with that I'm-not-kidding smile of his.

Then he blinked twice before muttering something incoherent as if he just remembered something. He took out a flier from his pocket and handed it to her. After giving the paper a look-over, Nami shot him a questioning look so he explained, with a tinge of pride in his tone, "It's a drama presentation the orphans in this place conjured, with a little help from us volunteers, of course. Will you come and watch?"

"It's on the fifteenth," Nami said, looking at the paper again with a frown; completely missing the hopeful look on the lad's face.

"You already had an appointment?" Mameru asked. Nami looked up to look at the lad in front of her. Though she was sure, she just imagined it, to her, his tone sounded slightly disappointed; but that is just her.

She gave him an apologetic look and nodded, "Our school is organizing a Charity Concert on that day. Whatever amount we may collect on that day will be given to the orphans and homeless children as well,"

"Oh," he said, adverting his gaze to his left but his lips were forming a small smile. Then he perked up and that small smile turned into a grin, "At least we'll be doing the same activity. It was you, after all, who convinced me in joining stuffs like this till I grew to love it,"

Nami smiled, reliving the memory of the first time she dragged him into joining an activity similar to what they were doing back in middle school. He was so against it back then but now, seeing him leading a small group after three years was enough to make Nami smile fondly.

"Amou -," she heard Hihara's voice call her from behind and on impulse she immediately turned to look at her senior, only to find him standing a couple of steps from them with a look similar to those who have been caught trespassing on a private territory.

Hihara Kazuki flashed them an apologetic smile, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, "Err, Sorry."

"No. It's alright. No harm done," Mameru answered immediately with a reassuring smile. He then glanced at Nami then looked at the lime-haired lad, to Nami again, then back to the lad, "You must be Nami's boyfriend?"

Hihara went bug-eyed confused, "Wha - "

"No. No. He is not," answered Nami almost immediately, frantically waving her hands in front of her to emphasize the misunderstanding.

Mameru chuckled, "On denial again?"

"Remove that smirk off your face, Mameru. No, he is not my boyfriend," Nami replied sternly, with a pointed don't-even-go-there look directed to Mameru. She then looked at the trumpet player, her hand gesturing to the lad who is now behind her, "Hihara-sempai, meet Mameru Tsukinagi, a close friend of mine since elementary,"

"Hi. Nice meeting you," Hihara greeted in his usual cheery manner, a large contagious smile across his face making Mameru smile a little too.

"And Mameru," Nami said, her eyes still hold that stern look, "Meet Hihara Kazuki, a good friend of mine from Seiso and my senior,"

"A pleasure to meet you too," Mameru said the smile still on his face. Then he risked a look over his shoulder to see how his companions were doing. One girl, obviously older than them, was looking at their direction irately, arms crossed in front of her chest while tapping her foot on the pavement. That was enough to make Mameru wince.

He then look back at Nami and Hihara with a sheepish smile, "Well, I better get back to work,"

"Yeah, I think you should. That girl looks like she is ready to murder you," Hihara commented aloofly, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

Mameru chuckled. Then he smiled down at Nami, his eyes showed something the young journalist cannot find the right term to describe it. Finally, he took a step back, "It's nice seeing you again Nami,"

Then he turned around and walked back towards his companions. He looked back to smile at Nami for a brief moment then he jogged the rest of the distance between him and his companions. Nami let out a breath she didn't know she was holding or when she decided to hold her breath. She was brought out of her stupor when she heard her senior has amused chuckle. She looked at his quizzically which only resulted into transforming his chuckle to a laugh. "Ooh, Amou-san is blushing!"

"No, I'm not" the journalist protested immediately

"Yes you are," Hihara countered back with an even wider grin, "You can see it for yourself if you want,"

Nami huffed then turned her head to the side in a failed attempt to be snobbish, "Maybe it's because of the weather,"

Hihara raised his eyebrows, "How is it the weather's fault?"

Nami once again looked at the trumpet player, already prepared for a full-blown explanation regarding the matter even though she knew she would sound defensive. She was about to voice that out when a call from the distance took their attention immediately.

"Amou-san! Hihara-sempai!"

It was Kahoko, running towards their direction as if she is being chased by someone; clutching a medium sized paper bag close to her. For a moment, Nami thought she was being chased by a robber or a pick-pocket. Hihara must have the same thought because of the sudden flash of concern and protectiveness in his features. But once the violinist was close enough for them to get a better look at her expression, they somehow felt relieved. In one glance they could tell that she was out of harm's way.

However, Kahoko expression still holds that troubled look, making Nami wonder what was going on and she was determined to know. When the violinist reached them, she immediately tried to talk but unfortunately, all she could manage was to gasp for air, catching for breath.

"Hino-chan, calm down," Nami said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She tried to guide her to a nearby bench for her to sit but the violinist stubbornly stayed in her position.

Finally, she managed to catch her breath and speak, "We have to go home now. Fuuyumi-chan is sick,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

**A/N:**

**Sappy!**

**Hey, I'm back at last! How's your summer? (Assuming its summer in your place)**

**Sorry it took this long to update. I got a little carried away with the summer vacation especially with all the different kinds of reunions and stuffs, plus (to those who don't know) the temperature during most days in the previous summer was not really comfortable for me - seriously, it's so hot, you hang a wet shirt outside and leave it for twenty minutes and it's already dry. That, plus school started early, so yeah.**

**Next chapter will be posted maybe next week, after our title defense.**

**Oh, and thanks to all of those who reviewed the previous chapter and to those who followed it and added it to their story favorites. Thank YOU!**

**Be a darling and tell me what you think, 'kay?**

**-juniperfalcon17**


	21. Chapter 21

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**CHAPTER TWENTY**

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Ryoma Fuuyumi couldn't get that stupid grin off his face as he leaned against Shoko's bedroom door. The scene before him was priceless.

He was about to drive his cousin's family, under his cousin's request of course, to a nice restaurant in a neighboring town when he received a text message from one of his Shoko's friends, Len Tsukimori - if he was not mistaken, that his teal-haired cousin, Shoko, has a fever. So naturally, he told his passengers this and advised them to just take the public transportation to the place as he will be going back to the villa. And also, naturally, his nephews were against it.

They insisted that they should at least see their aunt and tell her to get well soon before going anywhere.

Childish, true but Ryoma got to give the kids some credit for their determination. Once they set their thoughts on something, they are really determined to fulfill it the best way they can.

Since they won't really fit anymore, with his cousin's luggage at the back, Ryoma called and informed his companions that due to certain things that came up, he can't pick them up from the meeting point so they would just have to take a public transportation back to the villa; by which the others didn't object.

And so here he was.

An idea popped in his mind. Without hesitation he took out his mobile phone and walked a little bit closer to get a better shot. His grin became wider than before when he finally saved the image, automatically creating five back-up copies in case something ill befall the original image.

"Well, this is interesting," Ryoma heard his cousin say. He turned and walked towards the door where his cousin was now leaning on the spot he was previously at.

Ryoma gazed at his current blackmail material, a.k.a. the image on his phone, with a smile; a glint of amusement and mischief sparked in his eyes. Their other cousin just continued to look at Shoko, an unreadable expression in his features. Ryoma stood beside him and faced the scene before them once again, casually slipping his phone back in his pocket.

"I wonder what that guy's reaction would be when he 'accidentally' saw this," Ryoma said, raising his eyebrows in thought, already having a mental image at that, "It will be priceless if he gets pissed off at something as simple as this,"

"Why did you take a picture of that anyway?" The man beside asked then something pops in his mind that made him roll his eyes, "It's not like the guy likes her, right?"

"How am I supposed to know that?" Ryoma rolled his eyes as well, "Besides, this is just a blackmail material….and also, a test."

The two stared at each other for a good three seconds, a smile already growing on Ryoma's face while the other was doing the exact opposite of it. Then finally a wave of realization crossed the man's features, making him frown even more while the other just kept on grinning, rolling his eyes in the process; silently teasing his cousin that he was slow.

"Well, given his family background, I wouldn't picture him as an easy-to-get-jealous type of guy so how will you know if your hypothesis is correct?" the man asked, raising an skeptical eyebrow.

Ryoma shrugged, "I don't know but I know what I am doing,"

"Really convincing couz," the man said sarcastically, "You seem to already know him -"

"Haven't met him before," Ryoma cut it. Then he sighed and shook his head disapprovingly, "Honestly I don't agree with this whole arrange marriage thing but fighting them is like kicking on a sharp stone,"

"Don't I know it but what's decided is decided. Everything will somehow turn out right," the man answered, almost robotically.

Ryoma glared at him, "Say's the person who was forced to marry someone he didn't like and look at what happen; they are in the brink of annulment,"

The man glared back and was about to say something when Reiko and Tachi passed by; each holding a piece of paper in their hands; completely oblivious to the adult's discussion. Ryoma shot a warning look at his cousin that gained a curious look from his cousin's wife, who was trailing her sons not far behind. Ryoma smiled cheerfully and suddenly changed his mood for his nephews.

"What have you got there guys?" he asked

Tachi beamed, "Get well cards. Mom says it will make Sho-neechan feel better when she wakes up."

Ryoma just have to smile at that, "Knowing your Sho-neechan, I bet she will feel better when she saw your cards."

That statement caused the siblings to beam proudly at their uncle; a beam that is so contagious that even their parents cracked a smile at their children's antics. Ryoma laughed lightly and ruffled their hairs in each hand.

"Can you give it to her when she wakes up?" Tachi asked, holding out the cards he and his older brother made to their uncle with a matching puppy-dog eyes that is absolutely irresistible.

Ryoma looked up to his cousin, "You're not going to stay for the night?"

"I was going to tell both of you this but since Shoko is asleep, you have to relay the message," the man said. Ryoma raised his eyebrows impatiently, which caused to man to sigh then with a rather straight face he said, "She came here with me. We went our separate ways after arriving at the airport but if she knew that Shoko is here, I'm guessing it will be a matter of hours, days - if you are lucky, before she decides to visit. And in all fairness, I wouldn't want to be here when she does,"

"Yeah, no kidding," Ryoma muttered then he beamed at his two nephews, "Alright, I'll take those cards for your Sho-neechan to see. Is there anything else you want me to relay to her?"

"I have one," Reiko said then he pointed at the general direction where their aunt is sleeping, expression full of curiousness, "Do she and Keiichi-niichan like each other?"

The three adults were taken aback by the innocent question, true he didn't mean any harm as he was just a boy and therefore was curios but Ryoma couldn't help but imagine how Shoko would react with that question. For someone so young, Reiko thinks maturely. Ryoma gave a laugh as he patted the boy's head.

"I can promise you that I'll relay that question Reiko,"

"And so we must be off," the man said after clearing his throat, looking at his watch anxiously. He then looked at his wife then nodded, "Everything set?"

The woman nodded, and then she turned to Ryoma, "Say hello to Shoko-chan for me,"

"I will, I sure she would love to have a talk with you if she were in a better condition." Ryoma said, "Please consider what I have said to you earlier, Arisa-chan, okay?"

The woman smiled and patted Ryoma's cheek in a motherly way, "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you dear,"

"Let's go or we'll miss our train," a call came from downstairs making the woman sigh.

"Well, I better go." Arisa smiled at Ryoma. She was already walkway down the hallway when she turned as if she remembered something, "Oh and tell Shoko-chan that they really do look cute together,"

That made Ryoma laugh.

When the woman was already out of his line of vision, he looked back at the room again with a small smile on his face. He then shook his head lightly and then pulled the door close as quietly as possible. Then he followed his cousin's family outside to see them off. It was only a few minutes after they left when a taxi stopped in front of the villa and out came Kahoko and her companions; Nami and Hihara.

"How's Fuuyumi-chan? Is she okay?" the red-haired violinist asked almost immediately.

Ryoma just have to chuckle, "She still has a fever but I think she'll be okay by tonight. You can go see her if you like but I have to tell you in advance, try to hold in your squeals so you won't wake them up,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

Nami Amou already knew that something unusual was up. It was in the way Ryoma smiled when he talked to them; a glint of amusement and mischief in his eyes. Without even guessing much, she can tell that what he saw amused him very much. Given her personality, unfortunately, her curiosity is making her skin crawl. She gave herself a good three seconds of self-control before finally giving in.

She didn't even wait for someone to suggest that they should go up to the room and look at what the young lad was talking about; she just sprinted up the stairs towards the clarinetist's bedroom. She barely even listened to the calls of her two companions outside as they followed to catch up with her.

Thankfully, Nami remembered to be quiet as Ryoma had suggested.

So quietly, Nami twisted the door knob and peeped inside. She didn't really have a general picture in her head on what she should expect there so when she finally saw what was behind the door, all she could do was stare dumbfounded at the scene before her.

Lying sideways on the bed, back curled into what seems to be a comfortable position, was Shoko. She must have moved so much when she was asleep because the only part of her that is hidden beneath the covers were her thighs down to her foot. The only thing that caught the young journalist off guard was the person leaning on the side of the bed, using his folded arms as a pillow. He was facing the opposite direction so Nami couldn't see his face but she could tell that he was asleep as well. He wouldn't be called the sleepy angel of Seiso if it weren't that. Besides, the afternoon was just so calm that one could easily fall asleep in its serenity.

Subconsciously, she walked a bit closer to the two, careful not to make any unnecessary sounds. Given their positions, they were lying face to face each other - not really that close to one another but would surely earn a nice crimson blush to whoever among them woke up first.

Nami felt a smile cross her features.

She just can't help but marvel at beauty of the scene; the warm colors of from the sunset flooding the room, the shadows created by the furniture and the peacefulness of the two sleeping musicians.

And being the young curious and mischievous journalist she was, she just couldn't let something like this fade in memory.

Her hands made their way to her camera hanging around her neck as always. Without any hesitation, she lifted it to her eye level, hands moving to adjust anything in the said device that will make the picture even more beautiful as if it has a mind of its own. Then with a determined push, followed by the sound of the camera shutter, she finally catching what seems like a perfect scene; preserving it digitally in her camera.

After a good five seconds of gawking with her camera still in hand, she finally found it in herself to react to the sight before her.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my -"

"Amou-san," came a call not far from the room but it was enough to make the young journalist turn to the door. In a few blinks, Kahoko came into view, panting from the sudden sprint up the stair case, "I don't see the reason why you have to….." she trailed off once she saw the two, still completely oblivious that their seniors are making a big deal out of it, and gasped; one hand over her mouth and eyes full of surprise mixed with happiness and amusement. "Oh my gosh!"

"Quiet, Hino-chan." Nami chided but it was more of a playful rebuke than anything. The violinist voice was not that loud, of course, but if any of the two were light sleepers, one of them should have woken by now and thus, ruining the sight before them.

"Oh sorry," the red-head whispered, loud enough for the journalist to hear.

Then something unexpected came.

"WHOA!"

The two girls immediately turned to face the new comer, startled by the sudden outburst. In complete unison, they placed their finger over their lips with a stern 'Shhhhhh'

"Oh sorry," Hihara said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly but that action didn't contain the grin that was forming on his lips, "I was curious as to why you girls ran off so I followed but didn't expect to see something like this,"

He then gestured to their kohais still, thankfully, asleep; still completely oblivious to what is happening around them. The trumpet player then sighed and shook his head lightly, smiling at some sort of inner joke in his head, "Well, I have the right to be that surprised. It's something you don't even think to seeing,"

"You're making it sound like you caught someone in a crime scene," a deadpanned voice came from behind them, automatically causing the three to turn around.

Len Tsukimori stood near the door way with his arms crossed, emotionlessly looking at his companions. Kahoko knit her eyebrows a little in slight confusion, there was that glint in his eyes. She can't specifically place it correctly, but there was still something they were missing; as if he knew something the three of them don't.

"You act so calm about this," Nami stated, raising an eyebrow.

Len snorted, "And you shouldn't be intruding their privacy like that. Did you even think of how their relatives would react when they saw that picture you took?"

"I'm not going to publish it. It's for my personal album. How did you even know that I took a picture?" Nami countered back, by which she found useless since it was pretty obvious but she was up for a good argument anyway so why not go with it.

Len gave her a blank stare, "You're Nami Amou, that's enough proof already,"

Nami glared at the blue-haired violinist and was about to answer back an equally snarky retort when the sound someone slamming the door in such force brought her out of that thought. At least in all fairness, all of them looked surprised and equally confused by it. From below, they could hear voices coming from someone they don't know and Ryoma.

It only took a few minutes before they could hear the heavy pounding of footsteps coming up the stair case. Nami wanted to leave the room immediately but something was keeping her rooted to the spot. Nami felt her blood turn cold; like something bad was about to happen and she could tell that her companions were thinking of the same thing, as they were looking at each other in the eye.

Then a petite woman, wearing an attire fit for a company manager came into view, freely barging in the room like she has every right to do that. One look and one couldn't tell that she was intimidating but once one caught her hawk-like eyes, it is only but natural to shrink back a little.

Nami really thought the woman was the Fuuyumi family's lawyer so she was thoroughly confused when Ryoma entered the room called the woman Aunt Chichi. If anything, she doesn't look anything like Shoko or Ryoma but Nami know she just couldn't end her judgment on just that.

The woman stopped and stared at the two sleeping musicians for a moment then slowly she turned around to face them, her surprised expression made it look like she walked on something seriously scandalous. She then gave Ryoma a look of pure annoyance and the young lad just stared back, expression unreadable.

"Are you not going to explain the meaning of this, Ryoma?" the woman asked in a cold tone

Ryoma crossed his arms, "What's to explain? It's it obvious, they are sleeping. Like I said, Shoko has a fever so it would be much appreciated if you reschedule whatever it is that you are planning on some other time,"

The woman then turned to the four unwilling audience at the door way. Though it wasn't directed to her in particular, Nami involuntarily took a step back at that look the woman is giving; her back colliding with Hihara's chest in the process as he was the one standing behind her. Unfortunately, her sudden movement caught the woman's attention, like a snake sensing for its prey.

"You girl," the woman said, her predator like eyes still trained on Nami who was trying hard not to turn around and cower in the corner, "Who is that human?"

The woman then turned to where Keiichi lay sleeping. Nami felt cold inside, she instinctively glanced to Ryoma, silently asking for help on the situation, in which he answered by shaking his head. However, the silence from the young journalist was starting to get on the woman's nerves so when Nami chose not to answer the question, the woman turned to glare at the poor girl.

"Don't take out your frustrations on them Aunt Chichi," Ryoma said, immediately taking a step forward ready for anything that might happen, "Leave them out of this, if anything it should be us you are nagging on, not them. They are not even in the family,"

The woman eyed Ryoma up and down, as if he just evolved from a whole new species of algae. Then a sudden glint flashed across her features, a thought must have sprouted in that conniving mind of hers. The woman, Chichi, smirked at the boy before she turned her attention to her sleeping niece. She walked up to the nightstand on the left, took the basin in which Keiichi must have used when he was trying to get Shoko's fever to go down and spilled its contents over the poor girl.

Everyone else inside the room didn't expect that. The four unwilling audience was utterly shocked with a fair amount of anger at what the woman did. Ryoma was seething in anger, annoyance and hate. Keiichi, who was woken up at that action, was equally confused and surprised as the unsuspecting victim known as Shoko Fuuyumi.

"Aunt Chichi you -"

"Rise and Shine my sweet," the woman said in a sickly sweet tone, interrupting whatever Ryoma was about to say.

Shoko finally snapped out of her surprised state to look at the woman, as if she just realized who the new comer was. Her eyes immediately went wide in realization and fear, hands subconsciously touching her lips as she gasped.

"Aunt Chichi," she managed to say, though her voice was shaky and was merely a whisper but with the quietness of the room, everyone else heard it.

The woman rolled her eyes, "Such a drama queen. Yes it's me, your beloved Aunt Chichi. Now, get out of that bed and put on something nice. You and I are going somewhere for the night and you better not feel unwell,"

When nobody moved a muscle after that statement, the woman went bug-eyed and let out a cry of frustration. She stormed over to her niece and forcefully tried to get her out of the bed. It wasn't a difficult feat given Shoko's physical status but unfortunately the girl didn't last long standing on her own feet, so just resolved on grabbing the end of the nightstand, anchoring herself there.

"Stop being such a sloth and move girl. We only have a couple of hours to prepare," the woman snapped.

Shoko managed to keep her hold on the table's edge, "Prepare for what?"

The woman looked at her niece as if she asked the most idiotic question ever, "Your marriage interview, of course."

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**


	22. Chapter 22

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

Everyone was too caught off guard to openly react or even voice out the thoughts and questions they have to that bombshell-like news the woman just dropped. It was only their general expressions that gave a clue on what was going on in their mind - shock, pity, curiousness and irritation.

The heavy silence went on for what felt like a long time until it was finally broken by the least expected person in the room.

"A….a…m…ma…mar…riage…i…in…interview?" Shoko asked, her teeth started chattering a little from the coldness her now wet clothes are making her feel and the fact that she is still feverish is not helping with it either, "W….wh…why?"

Call it slow but it was only then did Shoko finally managed to break out of her daze from her rather rude wake-up call to focus on what was happening and immediately felt embarrassed.

The being-drenched-in-water wake-up call was not new to Shoko, given that their aunt always grabbed every opportunity to wake her or her cousins that way whenever she was around, but being woken up like that when you have a fever and in front of your friends was a different story. Their aunt Chichi never really cared about the way she acts around her nephews and nieces and she never really cared if she was already embarrassing them as long as she gets what she wants.

The situation was no different and given that Shoko was the family's least favorite member, as she was seemingly useless one in most of their relatives' eyes, she doubts their aunt would be that merciful to her that day at all; especially with an unwilling audience.

"Yes, a marriage interview. Do I need to repeat it again for you to understand, child?" Chichi said, rolling her eyes in exasperation, then she gave her niece a suspicious look, "I don't know what you are trying to do with that innocent act you are pulling but nice try little missy, you are not getting away that easy this time,"

"B…but Aunt Chi…chi -" Shoko tried to voice out a protest but the woman didn't even notice her attempt as she just continued talking.

"The Tsukinagi Family are a well-respected family and very wealthy, if I may add. If this marriage interview goes smoothly, you are to wed the family's eldest son. With your Cousin Lee's engagement to the Harada Family and your engagement to the Tsukinagi Family, our social and economic status will increase drastically," she said, walking around not far from her current position as she talked, then she stopped in her tracks and turned her attention once again to the soaked clarinetist, much to her dismay, "It has already been decided. You have ruined so many marriage interviews already and you are not going to do that to this one,"

"I…I…d…don't w…ant to go, Aunt Chichi. P…please," Shoko pleaded with a desperate yet determined glint in her eyes, trying her best to stop her chattering teeth.

Ryoma couldn't help but be surprised at what he saw in his cousin's eyes. Despite of the situation at the moment, he knew that Shoko wouldn't let herself be dragged into whatever event their aunt orchestrated for that night. He had a few guesses on what made her like this but nevertheless, he can't help but feel proud at his cousin.

"I've already prepared all the necessary things so you don't need to worry." Chichi said, completely ignoring her niece's words, "Though your looks are not even much, I assure you that I will try to make you look like a perfect wife you would at least try to be,"

"How could you say that?!" Ryoma bellowed in his cousin's defense while Shoko just let her gaze fall on the floor; clearly embarrassed with the way things are turning out.

"Oh you know what I'm saying is true," Chichi laughed as she walked over to her niece. Her laugh subsided into her sickly-sweet conniving smile, making her look like a predator cornering its prey. Then she firmly grabbed the girl's wrist as she looked at her in the eye while her other hand touched the girl's left cheek in a fake-affectionate way that made Shoko's skin crawl despite of herself.

"You already owed too much to our family. Your father nearly had us bankrupt when you and your mother got sick. But even if we know that you are just going to turn out to be such a disgrace to the family you are still important to us, so we helped you. If it wasn't for us, you wouldn't be here." she continued in that sick-sweet tone.

Shoko shook her head. That was a lie, a complete lie.

It wasn't them that helped her during that time. As far as she recalled from her father's story, the family only offered help when her mother was hospitalized; not when _she_ was hospitalized. If it wasn't for the de Faunte family's involvement, she would have been long dead. And yet, her aunt was making her sound like an ungrateful child in front of everyone there. Shoko felt her legs starting to tremble; whether it was from exhaustion or from her frustration, she didn't know.

"So be thankful, my sweet doll, if an opportunity like this is given to you. Think about it, you can finally do something useful for our family." Chichi said as she tugged on her niece's wrist impatiently, forceful than necessary that it made Shoko took an involuntary step forward, "Now, come along my sweet and be like the timid obedient little doll you always are."

Something inside the young clarinetist snapped; like a string in an instrument being pulled too tight.

_Obedient little doll._

Her parents always told her that obedience was one of the important virtues that mold a person's character and that it was one virtue that only a few people possess. But during the years, as she was forced to live up to the expectations of her relatives, she came to understand that in their family obedience is a law; in order to please the elders you must be obedient to everything they say.

Shoko wasn't in any way rebellious or defiant but deep inside she knew, given the right moment, that she can be that if she wished. She can even be the exact opposite of herself if she chooses but unfortunately, she never had the courage to do it.

Normally, she could deal with situations like this; all she has to do was take all the insults and comments in without a word then cry it out when she reached the sanctuary of her room. But now, however, she was already at her edge. Her mind was already too clouded with her emotions and her thoughts that it made her want to just curl up in a corner and hide herself.

Chichi gave her another impatient tug but this time Shoko stood her ground. The moment she felt that tug, she immediately yanked her hand away from her aunt's grip with whatever force she had left to emphasize her objection.

"I'm not going," the young clarinetist said with a new found confidence even she didn't know she had. She even managed to stop shuttering.

In all honesty, she didn't know what made her do it; maybe it was because she was tired of being pushed around, maybe she was tired of her life being decided for her as if her own decisions don't matter, maybe she was tired of being treated like the way she feels she is; her family's pawn to fame, glory and wealth.

Whatever her reason was, she wasn't sure.

Unfortunately, that little action gave the woman the wrong thought for her eyes grew wide as if someone just insulted her, which probably was, "Excuse me?"

Chichi gave her niece a look that made Shoko tensed and fixed her gaze on the ground, immediately forgetting the sudden confidence she felt during her outburst. Ryoma, on the other hand, subconsciously took a step forward, ready to intervene if needed.

"I'm not going, Aunt Chichi." Shoko repeated even though she already felt her self-confidence shirking in every second that passed by and the look she knew her aunt is giving her is not helping either.

Chichi seethed quietly, trying hard not to lose her temper, "Disrespectful. You dare -"

"She's already promised to someone," Ryoma said, his voice was clear and firm enough to interrupt whatever their aunt was supposed to say; a glint of smugness in them as if it were boasting that he knew something she didn't.

A flash of confusion and irritation crossed the petite woman's features. If anything, Chichi hated being kept in the dark, especially when it comes to family matters such as this. It has always been her pride to be able to take part in whatever decision the family must make. She was like their secretary. Later on, she was given the responsibility to oversee the social well-being/status of the younger members of the family (a.k.a. Shoko and her cousins); which made her think highly of herself. Therefore, hearing such statement was like being smacked between the eyes.

"Pardon dear?" Chichi inquired as if she didn't hear what her nephew just said.

"She's already promised. A fine young lad, they described him as," Ryoma answered with a convincing nod. He then gave Shoko a rather teasing glance, "From what I've heard, Aunt and Uncle already approved of him. Is that true, Sho-chan?"

All eyes turned to the young clarinetist.

Without meaning to, upon hearing her cousin's statement a smiling image of Stephen de Faunte flashed in her mind.

Shoko immediately felt her cheeks grow hot the same time she felt her insides do a flip as if she just missed a couple of steps down the stairs. Her mind immediately recalled that night when it finally became official that she was engaged to the young de Faunte heir; of course both of them were distraught and frustrated by the fact that they didn't even have a say in the relationship. They were given a year before they can marry and it was on that night did the young heir promised that he would do everything he can to gain her freedom to marry the man she would someday love. But during the short time she spend with the young heir, Shoko couldn't deny it to herself that if she was indeed doomed to be a victim of an arranged marriage, she was at least happy to know that it would be him.

"No. the guy us not one of her current companions," she heard Ryoma say, snapping her out of her musings. Her flustered expression must have been enough to answer her cousin's question because their aunt didn't bother to ask an answer.

In a way, Shoko is not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Chichi glared at Ryoma as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. If it were even possible, she would be blowing steam out of her ears and nose in her frustration at that moment.

"I will find out who that ambitious boy is. Even if my cousin approves of him, he is still not acceptable to the rest of the family." Chichi said intimidatingly with her usual air of authority, "And even so, if we have to take it properly, one decision is nothing compared to the rest. I'm sure whatever promise my dear cousin made will be broken immediately once the matter has been brought up to the family heads,"

"Wrong," Ryoma let out scoffing snot, "If you knew who this boy you are referring to is you would be hugging and kissing Shoko to no end, thanking her, asking her to get married as soon as possible and produce an heir immediately."

"Ryoma!" Shoko reprimanded through clenched teeth as she blushed even more. However, with the way she immediately reacted only made it sound like her cousin just revealed a very big clue to their secret. She could feel the curious glances of everyone around her, she could feel her body heat up at the sudden turn of the conversation - or, for a more acceptable description, argument - and she knew it really has nothing to do with her feverish state but nevertheless, she kept her gaze trained on her cousin.

"What? I'm just saying the truth," Ryoma defended then he shrugged as he walked across the room so now he was standing in the middle of his aunt and his cousin.

Chichi was now nearing her erupting level. Knowing well that she couldn't get anything from her nephew and niece, she turned her attention to their unwilling audience instead. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on the first person who gave an initial reaction, which was still out young journalist, Nami Amou.

"Guys just turn around and leave," Ryoma said, knowing already what their aunt was planning

"Shut up boy!" Chichi shouted angrily

"You. Tell me what these idiots are babbling about," Chichi demanded, pointing a finger at Nami, "Answer me now, girl."

"I…," Nami spluttered, immediately looking at Ryoma alarmingly.

"They don't know, Aunt Chichi. Leave my friends out of this," Shoko immediately spoke up, taking everybody by surprise at the sudden force on her tone. Though the sudden shift of attention made Shoko extremely self-conscious and apprehensive, she still looked at her aunt straight in the face.

Chichi, however, was not entirely pleased by it as she was now seething in frustration.

"Since when are you so brave to speak up, you disgraceful little rat?" she spat with a glare and a tone laced with much acid that both Shoko and Ryoma visibly winced at it.

"You can't talk to her like that, you hag!" Ryoma shouted indignantly

That, of course, earned him a slap on the cheek.

"I am your aunt. I have every right to talk to you," Chichi spat at Ryoma, looking extremely pleased with the now red mark on her nephew's cheek, then she looked pointedly at Shoko as she continued, "Or her, like that."

Shoko subconsciously took a step forward, "Aunt Chichi, please be reasonab -"

"I had enough of both of you," Chichi screeched, effectively stopping every attempt of a protest the two cousins have in mind. Then she gave Shoko a threatening glare that held no sign of consideration, "Now do as I say and get ready for that meeting or else…."

She left whatever threat she had in mind hanging in the air. But of despite of the cliché statement, the way she said it so unnerving enough that it didn't need a genius to figure out that she was dead-serious with whatever threat she already had planned. For a heartbeat, almost all of them were sure that Shoko would just bow her head and accept everything with a dejected nod.

So imagine their look of disbelief when the young clarinetist just shook her head with determination shining in her golden orbs. As if that wasn't an enough shock in itself, hearing what she has to say left them utterly stunned.

"No, Aunt Chichi. I won't. You can't make me do this anymore," she said in her usual nervous tone laced with a hint of firmness, as if she was taking caution on what she is saying, "No more marriage interviews or any more orchestrated meetings or anything related to it. You have been doing his for so long Aunt Chichi. I have every right to decline,"

There was a moment of silence.

To say that everyone in the room was surprised was a huge understatement; they were utterly dumbfounded. Even Chichi was rendered speechless for a while, as if she had trouble believing that this timid girl in front of her just bulldozed her ego in front of an audience.

Chichi inhaled deeply, eyes still on her niece.

…

And then,

…

_**SLAP!**_

That single sound seemed to echo through the silence of the room. In one quick comparison, one could easily tell that the slap the young clarinetist received was much more painful than that of her cousin.

"Fuuyumi-chan," Kahoko said worriedly, thought she meant her voice to be quiet (as she was maybe muttering to herself) but the quietness of the room made it known.

To Shoko, it didn't sound assuring in any way, if anything it just reminded her that her friends were still there, witnessing everything. It was embarrassing to known that someone is watching whatever rotten behavior that is lurking within their family. Don't get her wrong, not everyone in her family was like that, but most of them are.

"You worthless little b-"

"Aunt Chichi," Ryoma shouted

Shoko, on the other hand, just held her head up in defiance despite of the throbbing pain she is now feeling thanks to the nuisance known as their aunt.

"Please don't make this embarrassing for both of us, Aunt Chichi." Shoko said with a remarkably calm tone despite of the turmoil she is now feeling. Ryoma knew she was nearing her limit, "I know being in a high class family will strip me off the privilege of making crucial decisions in my life; marriage included. But please, just this once, let me be for now. Besides, I only have a year left of freedom before I reach my marrying age,"

Chichi stared at her nice straight in the eyes; as if she is trying to dissect her thoughts. She then turned to Ryoma; giving him the same look she gave Shoko. Her look was so full of resentment and contempt that if she was Medusa, the two would already have been statues in a blink of an eye.

"You are hiding something from me," she said. When she didn't receive any answer form the two, she held her head up, gathering whatever dignity she had left, as she gave Shoko a withering yet ominous look that only she could manage to deliver perfectly, as if she already had a perfect plan to get a rather satisfying revenge.

"Very well. Do as you please. But I assure you that Grandfather will hear about this and when he requests for an audience regarding this, I'm positively sure that the odds are in my favor," she said with her usual authoritative air.

Shoko and Ryoma just shared a look; the first one was casting a rather troubled expression while the latter just gave a rather challenging look as if he was silently asking for a bet. Without any further ado, Chichi spun herself around and walked towards the exit while the others just parted away to let her pass.

There was again another moment of silence but this time it wasn't as heavy as the previous ones. For a while, everyone in the room just seems to cast each other nervous or worried glances. The only ones who weren't moving were the two cousins, both still staring at the door where their aunt just exited as if they still can't believe something like that happened.

Again, the silence was broken by the least expected persons in the least tone.

"Fuuyumi-san," came an alerted call

Luckily, Ryoma turned around just in time to see his cousin starting to lose her balance and instinctively, he rushed to her side; catching her unconscious body before she made contact with the concrete floor. Slightly panicked, Ryoma immediately checked her pulse then he felt her forehead with his free hand. Then, in spite of the situation, Ryoma gave a soft chuckle.

"Well, you did pushed yourself to your limit," Ryoma gently scolded with a soft smile in a _I-told-you-so_ manner then he looked up to the worried faces of his cousin's female companions, who had somehow, in the midst of the commotion went closer to them in their worry. Then he looked at the others, they were still in their current positions but even from his spot Ryoma could feel their worry. Seeing that, Ryoma felt reassured somehow; at least there are some people outside the family who cared about his cousin.

At that, Ryoma shifted Shoko's position before standing up; lifting her into a bridal lift.

"She'll be fine and judging by her recovery ability," Ryoma paused as he remembered an inside joke between him, Shoko and three more cousins, he mentally shook his head and continued, "She'd be better by tonight. Hopefully,"

Ryoma then glanced wearily at his cousin's now soaked bed.

'_Miyuko was not going to like this_,_'_ he thought, already taking a mental guess on how long it will take for it to be dry again.

"I'll just let her stay in my room for a while since the wicked-witch of the Fuuyumi family decided to execute her favorite wake-up call," Ryoma said, then he looked apologetically at the five people in the room, which took him more than a moment since they weren't in the same direction, "I'm so sorry you have to witness what just happened earlier. Our aunt can be extremely ….difficult… to interact with. She just doesn't care whether she is already making such a scene or hurting us in anyway, most of us - me and my cousins - are used to being treated like that; even Shoko."

"A part of it is our fault too, Ryoma-kun. We should have left in the first place," Hihara said, scratching the back of his neck in a sheepish manner.

"But, somehow, we couldn't," Nami continued, immediately knowing where her senior's statement is going, "We just felt stuck for some reason"

Ryoma laughed, "Yeah, we had this running joke about her being Medusa's failed incarnation,"

But that laugh immediately died down and he reverted to back to his previous apologetic manner, "But nevertheless, I still apologize for our aunt's actions."

"It's okay, no harm done." Kahoko said, reassuringly

"Anyhow," Ryoma began as he perked up with a smile across his features. If anything, his actions were enough to make people think that he had a multiple personality disorder, "Miyuko-san will be here soon and she will surely throw a fir if she sees Sho-chan in this state so ….uhm….Hino-san, Amou-san, could you kindly offer some assistance with Sho-chan's clothes?"

Both girls just looked at him for a moment, bewildered; whether it was from his request or his sudden change of mood Ryoma didn't bother to know. He didn't even wait for them to answer; he just started walking towards the door and can't help but smile and feel proud of the person he was carrying in his arms.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

Nami was watching a rather interesting video game match between Ryoma and Hihara when Miyuko and the others arrived, with grocery bags more than what she initially expected. She knew they were going to cook something nice for their small celebration the next day since it will be their last day in the villa but the quantity she saw was really just much. But it wasn't just the grocery bags that caught her attention, it was their general expressions; Miyuko looked seemed tensed about something, Ryotaro looked genuinely exhausted (probably from carrying majority of the grocery bags) yet there was a small hint of worry hidden beneath his façade while Manami was clearly troubled by something if the look in her eyes were of any proof.

"Welcome back," Nami said with a small smile when neither of the two boys with her tore their gaze away from the game they were playing.

Miyuko sighed, "I thought no one would notice us. Thank you Amou-san,"

"We were busy," Ryoma protested, finally tearing his gaze away from the screen after Hihara managed to defeat him in it. That's when he saw the number of grocery bags Miyuko brought with her, "What's with the grocery bags? You went panic buying or something?"

"Haru called and said that he and his family will be visiting tomorrow so I thought of adding a few more food." Miyuko answered, "Plus, he said your Aunt Chichi will be coming,"

The three shared a look at the mention of the woman's name, instantly recalling what just happened a few minutes before. Nami still couldn't help but mentally cringe whenever she recalled that woman from before. Honestly, how could Ryoma and Shoko live with a relative like that?

"Aunt Chichi already left," Ryoma said

Miyuko raised an eyebrow, "Already left?"

"Yep. Not really a nice situation to retell at the moment," Ryoma answered.

"Then fine I'm not going to ask," Miyuko answered back, "But you _will_ tell me what happened,"

"Oh, you can put those in the kitchen." She added to her two companions. Manami and Ryotaro were already half-way to the kitchen when Miyuko called their attention once again, "Oh, uhm, Mori-san and Tsuchiura-kun. Could you help me prepare our dinner? Sho-chan was supposed to help me with the cooking but with her fever I doubt she can even standup. Could you?"

The two looked at each other, then for what seems like a full five seconds, they finally nodded in agreement.

"Marvelous," Miyuko beamed, then she turned to Nami with the same expectant look she gave the two earlier, "You can help too if you like, Amou-san."

"Err….I'm not really that productive in the kitchen," Nami answered rather sheepishly

Miyuko then looked at Hihara inquiringly.

The trumpet player immediately got what she was silently asking, "I'm afraid I'm like Amou-san. What about Ryoma-kun? He might be helpful,"

"Never in a million years; not unless you want the whole villa to burn down to ashes," Miyuko answered causing the said boy to pout playfully.

"Gee, thanks for believing so much on me." Ryoma muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes for emphasis.

Miyuko just laughed, "Well, see you at dinner."

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

**A/N:**

…**Sorry….**

**I'm not going to blurt out a lot excuses.**

**All I'm going to say is that, I have been busy to the point that I'm beginning to look like the undead. **

**But anyway, thank you for all of your reviews. They make me smile every time I scan them. Thank you, thank you, thank you. **

**And also, though I've placed on hold on the summary of this story, I'm not totally abandoning or ignoring it. I just don't know when I'm going to update that's all. So until I finally got out of my hectic schedule, the on hold thing will stay that way…..**

**But, I will still update, like I did now.**

**Hope you like this chapter, and tell me what you think. On my part, I think Shoko wasn't OOC on this chapter …because, everybody has their breaking point, even the most timid ones…but either way, be a darling and tell me what you think… ^_^**

**Luv you all for reading,**

**-juniperfalcon17**


	23. Chapter 23

**.**

**.**

**.**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

Since that night will be their last night at the villa, it was agreed upon that the group would hold a small Christmas celebration just for the fun of it. Everyone was given certain tasks to make it easier to finish in time. The boys were given the task to take care of the sound system for the movie marathon that evening and they seem to be really keen in finishing their task even though Len, Azuma and Keiichi (as he was sleeping, again) weren't much of a help when it came to speaker wires and stuffs leaving Hihara and Ryoma to do most of the task. Since Shoko was sleeping also, Kahoko and Nami brought it upon their selves to assist Miyuko, Manami and Ryotaro in preparing for dinner and since they can't cook that well, unlike their two companions, they insist that they should be given the clean-up task after the cooking is done.

'_After all, cleaning has nothing to do with_ _cooking_' as Nami had said, rather proudly at that.

However, since the cooking isn't done yet and they have nothing else to do, Kahoko and Nami went to the living room for a while to check on how the guys were doing with their task. Thankfully, despite of the scene Chichi caused earlier, everything seems to go back to its formal pace and none of the group seems to press Miyuko and Ryoma for details; a thing that the two are thankful for.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"Can you pass the container, Mori-san?" Ryotaro asked; eyes still trained on the vegetable he is slicing. When he didn't get any reaction whatsoever, he stopped from his task to look at his companion. Instead of finding the female pianist busying herself with the task at hand, he found her staring at the half-peeled carrot in her hand; thoughts obviously far away from where she currently is.

"Mori-san?" Ryotaro inquired eyebrows together in bewilderment.

The inquiry brought the female pianist out of her thoughts. She looked at Ryotaro immediately, clearly surprised that he was looking at her that way, "Huh? Did you say something?"

Ryotaro unintentionally frowned at the answer Manami gave him as a thought came in mind. Though he may look like he is not paying any attention about it, he noticed the female pianist's behavior changed a little ever since they entered that last shop before they came back. He saw her talking to someone on her cellphone, he couldn't see her facial expression back then but after that, the look on her eyes held a very unreadable expression on them.

"Is something wrong, Mori-san?" Miyuko asked, as she placed a pot on the stove and turned it on before giving the said container to Ryotaro. The male pianist thanked her and went back to finishing his task but kept his ears open to what Miyuko has to say. He knew that Miyuko had noticed his companion's weird behavior as he did. Miyuko continued, "You seem distracted since we came back,"

"Oh, I'm fine." was Manami's quick answer making it obvious that she was lying about something. Ryotaro stopped for moment to look at them. This caused the female pianist to be even more tensed and doubled her efforts to reassure them both, "It's nothing. Really, I'm fine. No need to worry,"

Of course, Miyuko didn't buy her lame excuse but in respect to her privacy, she didn't press the matter further; something the female pianist was visibly thankful for. Not wanting to pry much either, Ryotaro continued his task; half of his thoughts were still pondering on Manami's behavior while the other half kept on reminding him that he should be that worried if the girl is acting weird because naturally, it wasn't his business anyway.

Ryotaro frowned at that idea.

"Well, if you say so. But if you need someone to talk to, I can lend you an ear." he heard Miyuko say gently; like how a mother would reassure her child.

"Thank you, Miyuko-san." Manami answered. He didn't have to look to see her expression; he could picture her smiling gratefully at the maid.

"Well, pay attention to what you are doing then. An accident might happen if your mind keeps wandering off," Miyuko reminded in the authoritative manner that is similar to that of a chiding mother. Manami giggled before letting out a small 'Hai' and after a few moments the sound of the knife hitting the chopping board was heard throughout the kitchen.

"Tsuchiura-kun. You can just leave those for me to cook," Miyuko called and instantly, the male pianist stopped and looked at the maid. She was wiping her hand on her apron as she eyed the already cut vegetables on the table. She nodded appreciatively at it before continuing what she has to say, "You guys can rest after that. I'll just go the check on Sho-chan for a bit,"

With that Miyuko left the two pianists in the kitchen. A comfortable silence enveloped them; only the sound of their chopping and a few occasional clatters of the knives and bowls were heard. The lasted for quite some time and was broken when the sound of a knife falling on the tiled floor resounded in the midst of the silence. Ryotaro wouldn't have paid any attention about it if not for the gasp and the whisper-like whimper his companion made shortly after.

When Ryotaro glance to see what caused such reaction from Manami, he was quite dumbfounded to see a trail of a slick red substance that was oozing from the cut on two of her fingers. The blood was already making its way down to her wrist but instead of making an attempt to stop the bleeding or wash it off, Manami just stood there staring at her hand. In an instant, Ryotaro stopped what he was doing and in two swift strides he was already beside her. Gently he held her wrist to examine the cut from her fingers then with a sigh he shook his head in mild disappointment.

"Miyuko-san told you to be careful," he scolded lightly. Manami, however, didn't answer. She just stared at her hand, face pale than the male pianist was used to seeing her. With a sigh, he gently guided her towards the sink and took the liberty in washing the wound for her. After a few moments of coming contact with water, the bleeding was starting to lessen.

"That wound is pretty deep," Ryotaro said as he took a clean piece of cloth then gave it to her, "Here apply pressure on that. I'll get some bandages,"

Fortunately, there was a medicine cabinet in the kitchen and it is stocked with the necessary materials. After taking what he needed at that moment, Ryotaro closed the cabinet and headed back to where Manami sat. The wound was already starting to bleed again and Manami was just staring at it; hands shaking for some reason.

"Oi," Ryotaro said and instantly dragged her to the sink to wash the wound again. Then he started working on treating it, applying a disinfectant at first before carefully wrapping it with a bandage. Once that was done, Ryotaro looked at his companion's face. She was still paler than the usual but at least she wasn't shaking anymore. That's when realization hit him and he couldn't help but let out a rather amused smile.

"Mori-san, are you scared of blood?" he asked, as he picked up the fallen knife and place it on the sink.

It took a moment before the female pianist answered, "Yeah a little,"

"Tch. I never pictured you as one," Ryotaro said, somewhat a little bit amused but then his expression changed, morphing into a scolding yet worried expression, "However, that wound might affect your playing. You can't put much force on those fingers,"

"I know," Manami answered, looking down to avoid his gaze, "I'm sorry."

Ryotaro sighed as he ran a hand through his hair then turned to look outside the window. He stayed like that for a few moments before he gave a shrug and proceeded to continue what he was doing before that little incident, "Well it can't be helped,"

"Sorry I'm not much of a help now," Manami said apologetically as she watched him finish doing his task.

Ryotaro gave another shrug, as he worked. Not bothering to spare a glance at her, "No harm done. Besides, we're almost done anyway. The rest is up for Miyuko-san to finish,"

Manami sighed. She could still feel the sting of her wound every time her heart would beat. With another sigh, she looked down at her hands. How can she be so stupid?

"However," she heard Ryotaro say as he reached out to finish the task that she was supposed to do earlier and started to work again. To make the situation much more awkward for her, the male pianist just have to glance around to look at her with a rather amused smile on his handsome features, "Next time refrain from peeling vegetables when you have a lot going inside your head,"

Manami felt her cheeks grow hot at that but she managed to voice out a reply, "Thank you, Tsuchiura-kun."

Ryotaro shrugged once again, "Don't mention it,"

And with that the room once again fell in silence with the occasional sound of the knife hitting the chopping board or the clatter of the bowls as Ryotaro worked on. Manami bit her lip as she watched Ryotaro work like it was the most natural thing in the world. In all fairness, no one would have thought that this young male pianist is also talented when it comes to cooking. However, watching him work was making her feel a little useless; especially since it was her job that he was doing.

She might as well find something to keep busy for a while to distract her thoughts.

"Do you mind if I go to help set up the table with Hino-san and Amou-san?" she asked

"Huh?" Ryotaro said rather absent-mindedly, then after a few short moment he continued, "Oh, sure go ahead."

Manami smiled at that.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

Dinner was a smashing success. No one would have thought that only one person prepared all of it. Of course all complements went to Miyuko but she simply brushed it off; claiming that it was nothing compared to preparing a fancy dinner for the Fuuyumi family on a short notice. As expected, the dishes prepared that night were a mixture of Japanese, Italian and American foods with a few sweets for dessert. To put it in a short sense, the dining table was loaded that it clearly amazed majority of the group. When Azuma asked why Miyuko placed a great deal of effort in preparing the food before them, she just simply answered that it was their small Christmas Party after all.

While Ryoma went upstairs to get Shoko, under Miyuko's orders, the others busied themselves with conversations with a few jokes here and there to set the joyful mood. Nami was already busying herself with taking pictures of whatever it is that caught her attention; may it be the food or her companions. However, as noisy as they were with their conversations, they could still hear the complaints from one irritated Ryoma Fuuyumi.

"Why are you taking so long? It's not like you are going on a dinner date with your fiancé," they heard him exclaim out loud from upstairs, obviously sounding annoyed. There was a short pause before the young lad's protest was heard again, "No way! Miyuko-san will kill me if I did,"

At that, a few looks were immediately directed to the maid, who just smiled thoughtfully. "My, my, what could they possibly be arguing about and how come I'm in it?"

Kahoko let out a small giggle as an imagination came into mind, "I'm even surprised that Fuuyumi-chan is capable of arguing with someone,"

"Not really," Len answered, in his usual matter-of-fact tone as he looked at the red-haired violinist, "Considering what happened a while ago,"

Kahoko frowned a little at that statement but then she let it slide and giggled once again, "I know. But still, it's still amusing, don't you think?"

"Just hurry up woman, I'm starving here." Ryoma shouted followed with a thud which everyone assumed was him pounding on the clarinetist's door. There was some silence before the lad shouted again, "What part of 'Miyuko-san will kill me' did you not understand?"

Miyuko shook her head with a small smile of her face. For the rest of the group, this might be an unusual occurrence but within the Fuuyumi family, this is very much normal; especially with those two cousins. She may not seem like it to other people but when with the right person she can be a whole different individual. Miyuko mentally sighed, sure Shoko was close to her friends but there are still so much about her that her companions didn't know.

After a few more moments, the cousin finally arrived at the dining room.

Despite of the fact that she actually had a fever earlier that day, Shoko looked quite well. Since all of them decided to look decent that night, Shoko didn't disappoint either. Ryoma muttered something but unfortunately no one save for Shoko heard him but instead of answering or even acknowledging what her cousin said, Shoko just plainly ignored him and sat down in the middle of her seniors, Nami and Kahoko. She knew sitting there would not be a good idea but it can't be bad than sitting awkwardly between Ryotaro and Len.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said, in her usual apologetic tone.

"Are you feeling better now, Fuuyumi-san?" Azuma inquired, once again starting a casual small talk.

"Yes," Shoko answered with a nod and a smile "And I apologize for making you worry,"

"Well then," Miyuko began as she placed reentered the room with some drinks. She set it on the end of the table before gesturing to the food laid out in front of her, "Everybody dig in,"

Ryoma rubbed his hand in anticipation, "You don't need to tell me twice,"

"Ryoma Fuuyumi. Show some manners," Miyuko chided as soon as she heard what the young lad said. If it wasn't for the uniform, one would have thought of her as the family's governess rather than their maid.

However, those words fell on deaf ears.

"Thank you for the food!" Ryoma and Hihara said in the same time, in the same level of energy.

At that, everyone followed their example and ate.

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

"Hey, since this was brought up a while ago I was just curious," Nami began as they were eating dessert. She directed her gaze at the clarinetist beside her and Shoko immediately had a feeling that the situation is about to get awkward, "How many marriage interviews have you attended Fuuyumi-chan?"

Shoko nearly choked on the cake she was about to swallow. Luckily she managed to gain control of the situation quite smoothly, preventing herself from further embarrassment. However, it didn't help that almost everyone's gaze was now directed at her.

But before she could open her mouth to give an answer, Ryoma beat her to it. "Eighteen,"

"Don't exaggerate it," Shoko quietly reprimanded immediately a light blush was already showing on her cheeks.

"Fine," Ryoma answered back lazily as he sliced his cake, "Thirteen,"

That made the young clarinetist blushed even more as she looked down, playing with the hem of the table cloth.

"Well, you didn't have to answer, you know" Shoko muttered, unknowingly saying it a little louder than she expected. In all fairness, it wasn't that loud but with the quietness of the room, the persons closest to the shy girl heard her loud and clear.

"Thirteen?" Hihara, Kahoko, Nami and Manami exclaimed in perfect unison as if they rehearsed it.

Shoko immediately blushed even more; she was already minutes away from deciding to hide under the table. Ryoma, on the other hand, was laughing; like it was some sort of revenge from earlier - which, on Shoko's opinion, probably was. Shoko glanced at Miyuko and saw her smiling as if she found everything amusing - which probably was.

"My, my" Azuma said, obviously amused at that sudden revelation, "And out of those thirteen, none came into agreement?"

Shoko hesitated, "Well -,"

"Actually, half of those came into an agreement. I and my other cousins just did something to change their minds." Ryoma answered on his cousin's behalf, with a huge grin on his face like he was recalling something funny but decided not to tell because it was embarrassing, "We usually end up getting grounded or punished by Aunt Chichi afterwards,"

"Stop answering for me," Shoko chided her cousin, though the blush that was still present on her cheeks and her rather shaky voice did little to add an effect, "You're making it sound so controversial. Besides, we also did that to your marriage interviews,"

Ryoma laughed, "An act in which I am grateful for, cousin."

"Why do you look so confused?" Len asked. With that said, the attention was now redirected to the red-haired violinist in which the question was directed; much to Shoko's relief.

Kahoko immediately tensed up at the sudden attention. Of course she didn't mean to look confused at some point of their conversation and of course, it wasn't her fault that Len chose the moment to look at her.

"I do not. I know what you guys are talking about," Kahoko answered, rather defensively. Having heard her self's pathetic defensive answer, she immediately conceded, "Well, partially. I'm not really familiar with how these marriage interviews go given my family standing,"

Len raised an eyebrow, a slight glint of amusement visible in his eyes. "Or you just didn't bother knowing about it,"

Kahoko immediately pouted.

"It's quite simple, really." Azuma explained, "When a person belongs to a wealthy family, it is only but normal that he or she is asked to be part of a marriage interview. To put it mildly, these interviews is where rich families look for a potential matches or partners for their respectable heirs in an attempt to try and increase the power and authority of their names,"

"In short, it is how the rich become richer," Len added

Shoko nodded in agreement, "On that note, it is usually the richer family who makes decisions regardless of the gender of their heir. In the end, there is an 80% possibility that the less rich person gets engaged."

"And since our family has nothing much to brag about, we don't have much of a choice." Ryoma added as he finished the last of his cake.

There was silence at the table for a moment as if the information that was shared by their companions had a hard time sinking in. Finally, after a few moments, Kahoko finally gave her reaction. In all honesty, she felt sorry for some reason; a feeling that was clearly visible on her face.

"That's just -" she began but was immediately interrupted

"It's okay Kaho-sempai." Shoko said with a reassuring smile, "It's just something we have to live by. But that doesn't mean we can't have our own way,"

That answer clearly shocked the red-haired violinist; mainly because it was coming from shy Shoko Fuuyumi. Now that she thought about it, never did she imagine Shoko to be near the description of defiant or stubborn. But then again, that only means she doesn't know the young girl that much yet. Without even thinking about it, Kahoko smiled and nodded.

That seemed to lighten the mood but unfortunately; it didn't divert the topic away from Shoko.

"Were you really promised to someone or was Ryoma just lying to bail you out," Nami asked slyly, with a smile to match it and she nudged the girl beside her.

"Did it occur to you that minding in people's personal matters is not good?" Ryotaro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm a journalist and I'm just curious," Nami defended, as she glared at the male pianist, "Besides, it will be Fuuyumi-chan's decision if she will answer it or not."

The journalist quickly added to the girl beside her, smile once again plastered back on her face "You don't have to answer that Fuuyumi-chan, if you don't want to. Just ignore little old me,"

"Yes, please. Just ignore her," Len said, earning a glare from Nami once those words let his mouth. That little exchange was enough to make Shoko giggle.

"But I'm waiting for an answer," Nami pressed, looking at the two cousins, "So?"

Ryoma lifted his hands in a placating manner, "I am in no position to answer that,"

"Hmmmm," Nami hummed playfully, a glint of amusement and mischief evident in her golden orbs. She then shifted her gaze to the teal-haired girl beside her; studying her with great interest as she is trying to connect all her guesses into a rather convincing conclusion.

Shoko couldn't help but fidget under her senior's gaze. "Why the sudden interest sempai?"

"Yours is a special case," Nami answered like it was the most obvious answer. As a reply, both Kahoko and Shoko stared at the girl incuriously while Ryotaro just shook his head as if the girl is a total lost case. But even so, the young journalist was not fazed by those reactions, "Because, unlike Hino-chan, who have five boys fawning over her and I'm pretty sure she will eventually chose one of them, I have no idea when it comes to you - unless you count Shimizu-kun,"

"Eh?" both Keiichi and Shoko reacted the same time, though differently; Keiichi's reaction was more calm and reserve as he just gave his sempai a surprised look but there was an unexplainable look in his usually sleepy gaze but Shoko, on the other hand, was as red as a tomato and was fidgeting, trying her best to clear herself.

"Come to think of it, you do look cute together." Nami mused, clearly ignoring the clarinetist's rants.

Ryoma raised both of his eyebrows in amusement, "Does she really enjoy being the matchmaker?"

"Apparently," Len and Ryotaro answered at the same time; automatically glaring at each other at the end.

"Err, what's up with them?" Ryoma asked as he looked at the two.

And so that was the start of a separate conversation between the girls and the boys; the boys discussed about boy stuff ranging from sports to politics while the girls engaged in the typical girl stuff chatter. Much to the Fuuyumi cousins relief the earlier ruckus caused by the destruction known as their Aunt Chichi is temporarily forgotten and also, their aunt's behavior didn't dampen the mood much.

When they were finally done, as they could not eat another bite of food, Miyuko and Ryoma insisted that they will be the one to wash the dishes despite of the offers from the females of the group; Shoko included. Since the girls couldn't change Miyuko mind in helping, they just decided to start the planned movie marathon. As agreed, they will have to watch one movie from the picked genre (romance, adventure, comedy, and horror) and also as agreed, an additional movie will be played under the request of the winner a rock, paper, scissors game. After such an epic game of rock, paper scissors, Kazuki Hihara was declared the winner and of all the movies available there, he just have to pick the most gruesome horror film in the pile while the other was the picked with the help of Keiichi; much to the girl's disappointment.

Since Hihara was the winner of the rock, paper, scissors game, he got to decide on what to watch first and of course, he chose the two horror films he picked out. At first no one was giving much of a reaction but when the movie reach the middle of it, screaming and hiding behind a person or pillow is nothing but natural. Since Kahoko is terrified with ghosts but can't do anything but to watch the film for she is pretty much stuck in her position, when the supposed ghost appeared out of the blue with an eerie scream she immediately looked away and clutched on the nearest person she got a hold to in her fright; that nearest person being Len. There was also a time when Hihara was about to drink when a sudden appearance of the ghost came into view causing him to spill the drink, luckily, on his arm. He even went as far as clinging unto the person beside him, which was Nami, at a super startling scene. For a change, Shoko was somewhat quiet while watching with a few occasional squeaks, gasps or small shrieks here and there but nothing like her female seniors. She didn't move much either. Amongst them, it was Manami who hid behind Azuma's back (since he was the only one beside her for she chose to sit at the end of the semi-circle shaped sofa) from beginning up to the end.

Of course, there are many other awkward scenes that most went unnoticed since they were all captivated by the movies. After the gruesome horror films, the rest of the films followed; partially easing the effect of the first two movies they have watch. In exactly, five hours, the movies were all played and the lights were turned on.

"That movie is awesome. Nice pick Shimizu-kun," Hihara exclaimed like a child who just visited a theme park. Then he stood up from the floor and turned to look for the person who helped him chose the movie but as usual he found him fast asleep, leaning on Shoko's legs like it was some sort of pillar. The said girl was also asleep; half of her body was lying on the sofa.

Hihara gave an amused smile as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Ehhhh,"

"Told you they look cute together," Nami said, the same amused smile adorned her face.

"Snack Time," Miyuko called, entering the room with a tray full of food and set it on the table.

At the word snack, Hihara immediately turned to the direction where Miyuko placed the tray and began making his way towards it. He couldn't help but grin from ear to ear once he saw that majority of the food served were sweets.

"Thank you Miyuko-san," he said whole-heartedly and took a pastry without any hesitation. Miyuko couldn't help but giggle the guy's hyper activeness.

"Well, this is interesting." Ryoma said as he watched his cousin sleep with an uncertain yet amused smile on his face before setting the drinks on the table, right next to the food.

"Hey lets exchange our presents," Nami suddenly suggested

Hihara immediately perked up at that, "Can we already?"

"Anything to get my mind off that last movie," Kahoko answered as she reached out to get another piece of pastry and looked at it thoughtfully, "I don't think I can sleep well tonight,"

Nami jumped up, literally, with that thousand watt smile on her face. "I'll get my camera. Don't get started without me,"

Miyuko gave a chuckle at the groups antics. Then she looked down at the two sleeping figures. As she watched them, she can't help but wonder; if one of them fell for the other, what will become then? Would one pursue the feeling or just abandon it? But the most important question was, if someone were to fall, would that someone realize it before it was too late?

"Sorry to trouble you once again, Miyuko-san." came Azuma's apology as he helped himself with the food and drinks. That broke Miyuko out of her train of thoughts. She faced Azuma and with all politeness, she assured him that it was nothing.

"Someone better wake these two up or else he's going to miss the start of your small event," Miyuko said, gesturing to the two sleeping figures on the sofa as she collected the used cups.

"No problem, Miyuko-san." Hihara automatically replied

Once she noticed Miyuko was tidying up, Kahoko immediately offered to help. "Oh, let me help you with that Miyuko-san."

"No it's alright I got it." Miyuko answered, with a soft smile, "You people just enjoy little exchange gifts,"

"Okay I'm back." Nami exclaimed, both fist on the hip and her camera hung proudly around her neck, "Shall we start?"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

**A/N:**

**I'm back, baby!**

**Anyway, sorry for the wait.**

**Thank you so much to those who added me or this story into their favorites or alerts. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!**

**Since we are not that busy anymore, it's safe to say that I'll update sooner **

**Also apologies if this chapter is not much as well as the corrections on the grammar and spelling and such. I'm still regaining the momentum I had before. Plus I just rushed this so Yeah…. Sorry.**

**Anyway, as always, please be a darling and leave a review.**


	24. Chapter 24

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER TWENTY THREE**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**-o-0-o-**

"_Well, what do you think?" the red haired violinist asked, clearly proud of herself for coming up with the idea. _

_She and Nami Amou were on their way home after one of their committee meetings regarding the concert. They were walking down the streets of the town, looking at the glass windows of some botiques they passed by when an idea popped up inside the red-head's mind. Blame it on the holiday spirit or the décor she sees often but nevertheless, the idea seemed perfect to her. _

_Since they were heading to Shoko's villa, why not have a little get together, like a mini Christmas party of sorts. And what's a Christmas party without the exchanging of gifts. _

"_I like it," Nami nodded with an enthusiasm that matched her companion. "We can do it by draw lots and have it secret till the day we open the presents,"_

"_But, Amou-san," Kahoko began, suddenly realizing something about their plan, "What if they don't agree with it? I mean, I'm sure Hihara-sempai will agree as well as our two kohais but there is no telling what the others would think,"_

_Nami turned to her companion with a smirk, "Oh leave that to me"_

**-o-0-o-**

**And so that's what happened…**

"Who will start?" Nami asked no one in particular as she made some last minute adjustments with her camera. Once she was done with it, she looked up to her companions, both eyebrows raised in inquiry, "Well?"

"Why don't we let the lady of the house go first?" Azumai suggested, smiling at Shoko's direction.

Shoko's eyes widen, "Eh?!"

Of course the sudden attenion caught the young clarinetist off guard; she immediately tensed up as she looked at her companions. When majority of the people in the room seem to agree with Azuma's suggestion, Shoko finally relented and walked over to the Christmas Tree, bent down and pulled a red and green covered box from underneath it before standing up again. She then looked uneasily at her companions once again, subconsciously asking them if they were really sure that she should go first. In return, most of her seniors gave her an assquring smile; silently telling her that it was alright. Somehow that reassured her but only a little.

Unnoticed by majority of them, Nami already had her hands ready on her camera; watching the exchange intently, fearing she would miss something if she did pay close attention.

A light blush spread across her cheeks as she approached Azuma and handed the present she is holding, head bowed and eyes trained on the ground due to her embarrassment. (*_click_*) Of all the people in their group, he had the luck to draw the flute player's name. It could have been her female companions instead.

"A…A..Ad…Advance…M…Mer..ry Chr..Christmas, Y...Yunoki-s..sempai," The flute player could only just blink in mild amusement and astonishment (*_click_*) but he later on smiled and accepted the gift with his usual prince charming like smile; though the young girl failed to see it due to her current position. (*_click_*)

"Thank you. Fuuyumi-san." the young girl glanced up and eased a little when she saw her senior's smile. Azuma gave a chuckle at her expression (*_click_*), "Can I open it now?"

The clarinetist's blush grew even more, her gaze dropping once again as she mumbled something that definitely sounded like, "If you want to,"

The sound of the gift wrapper being pulled off could be heard accompanied by the sound of someone telling a joke (probably Hihara) and some giggles and chuckles. Shoko bit her bottom lip in her uneasiness as she watched her senior open her gift. Since she had no idea what to buy for the flute player, she sought Stephen's help when he accompanied them during their day out. Stephen too didn't have much help to offer since he was accustomed to having his driver or some of their family butlers or maids to do such task but he suggested that she buy a journal for him; the simple yet elegant and professional looking one.

And so that's what she bought.

"Oh, Thank you Fuuyumi-san. Perfect timing too," Azuma's sudden statement bought the young clarinetist out of her thoughts, "I need one of these but I can't find the time to buy one. Thank you,"

(*_click_*)

Clearly, she was surprised of the reaction but after a few moments she smiled and told him how relieved she felt that he liked her gift; causing the flute player to chuckle and pat her head affectionately. (*_click_*) That of course, caused another blush to resurface once again.

(*_click_*)

"Now for my gift," Azuma said. Following Shoko's example earlier, he walked over to the Christmas tree and pulled out his present (*_click_*) then he walked over to the Nami, who was looking incredibly surprised that he was giving it to her.

Gingerly, she took it and looked up at her senior without any hesitation. In return, the flute player just smiled charmingly like he usual do, "Advance Merry Christmas Amou-san,"

Nami blinked for a moment before finally smiling back, "Uh…thank you sempai and Advance Merry Christmas too,"

Without any second thoughts, Nami opened her present. For a moment, she was silent but then after a few seconds she gave a girlish squeal; eyes glistening. Her present was a camera bag and a new camera strap. To some it was nothing much but to the young journalist, it was an unexpected gift. For a while she was chipping her allowance to buy a camera bag but given that she buys a lot of stuffs, including those she doesn't really need but finds it cute, well, the plan is a long way run from that point. So, one can't really blame her for being overjoyed - plus she feels like the expression was just right at that moment.

"Oh thank you sempai," she said then she hooked her arm around the flute player's arm and took a picture of themselves. After that she took a picture of her present.

"Amou-san sure is high on energy tonight," Kahoko commented while Shoko could only giggle and nod in agreement.

"A bit too energetic don't you think?" Manami interjected, a hint of concern could be traced in her tone, something that is visible in her features as well,"Do you think she had too much sugar?"

The inquiry made the other girls giggle, leaving the female pianist with one eyebrow raised in confusion; mentally going back to her question, wondering what was funny with it. But before she could voice out any reaction, Nami was already walking towards them and in her left hand was a rectangular box covered in a red Christmas gift wrap and a fancy ribbon on top. Without missing a beat, she then gave it to Kahoko.

"Advance Merry Christmas, Hino-chan." Nami exclaimed as she hugged the red-head violinist.

Of course, as an initial response, Kahoko hugged her friend back, "Thank you, Amou-san"

"You're welcome," Nami responded as she pulled away from the hug. Kahoko was about to ask what the present was when the young journalist interrupted her, holding her hand to prevent her from undoing the gift wrap. "And you might want to open that later."

Kahoko raised her eyebrows inquiringly but by the smile the young journalist gave her, it was enough to convince her to just go on with the flow. After all, it's not like anybody would lose something if she didn't open it in front of everyone. For all she knew, the present could be an embarrassing one - which she generally hoped it was not.

"Well if you say so." Kahoko nodded. Then she beamed at the giver of the said present, "Thank you,"

(*_click_*)

And there goes the camera again.

"Amou-san!" Kahoko protested.

Nami laughed, "Sorry, sorry, Hino-chan. I just couldn't resist. Anyway, how about another shot?"

With that, Nami gave Kahoko the chance to strike a pose showing off her still covered present and of course, with a willing subject, Nami took more pictures than necessary; dragging Shoko along for a few shots as well. When Nami finally concluded that she had enough, nudged the female violinist to go and get her present.

"Now give your gift," Nami said, with a mischievous smile she didn't even dare to hide.

Kahoko gave the young journalist a warning look but the threat had no effect at all for the smile grew even wider with wink to match. In spite of herself, Kahoko could feel her cheeks go warm and her fingers suddenly cold. With a few more urgings from Nami, Kahoko finally gathered up the will to walk up to the Christmas tree and pull out her present. (*_click_*) She was hesitant at first but finally she walked over to one of her companions; the object of teasing from Nami ever since the start of the Concours.

(*_click_*)

Len Tsukimori blinked in mild surprise as he looked at the present being held out to him. To be honest, some part of him kind of expected that she draw out his name when they had the draw lots. Not that he was full of himself (not much) but with the way fate had always played with them, always making them crosses paths at most; it became the first guess he had in his mind. Of course, he would never admit that out loud or admit it to a living soul.

(*_click_*)

"Uhm….Advance Merry Christmas, Tsukimori-kun." Kahoko said, putting on her best smile though the tone in her voice sounded a bit hesitant. Seeing her slightly fidgeting at something he could bother to know at the moment, Len gave a ghost of a smile as he accepted the gift.

(*_click_*) (*_click_*) (*_click_*)

"Amou-san …" Kahoko immediately reacted; her face was almost the same color as her hair.

"What?" Nami asked, feigning innocence as she fought the urge to laugh at her friend's reaction. Even the stoic violin prodigy was sporting a fair blush of his own that he tried covering by simply turning his head to the side, trying to look defiant and not interested. (*_click_*) But Nami chose to ignore that since teasing the red-head is much more fruitful than the other. So she added, "I'm a photographer, remember?"

Len cleared his throat, "Thank you for the gift. Advance Merry Christmas too,"

"Hope you like it, Tsukimori-kun." Kahoko answered almost immediately.

The gift itself isn't very unique on the red-head's opinion. If anything, it is the most common gift one cold ever think of given that Len's world mainly revolves around music. But since it is something he clearly shows interest on, she resorted in giving him a compilation of the latest violin music scores and some new CDs. If there was anything of significance to the gift she just gave; it was her effort in finding it.

"Er…yeah, thanks. I'll just open it later," Len once again looked away, subconsciously scratching his cheek to hide his embarrassment (*_click_*) , "Advance Merry Christmas too,"

To avoid any further awkward moments with the female violinist, Len just walked over to the tree and pulled out his present then he went to person nearly everyone was least expecting: Ryutaro Tsuchiura.

"Erm…here," the violinist said as he handed his present over to the male pianist. Also, since mainly everything about him revolves around music, it was only but expected for him to choose a present that is connected with music and so he came to a conclusion to give the pianist some new piano solo CDs as well as some recordings and music scores from his mother.

Nami raised an eyebrow, clearly not impress. "Just that? No Advance Merry Christmas?"

"He gets the idea," was all the answer the violinist gave.

"Yeah. Don't hurt yourself," the pianist answered back as he took the present from his companion, "Thanks for the gift,"

"You guys are no fun," Nami rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Now look at the camera and smile,"

(*_click_*)

But instead of smiling, the two just looked at the camera with an expression that would give whoever it was that is looking at the printed photograph the impression of having grown another head.

"Party poopers," Nami muttered but no one seem to hear it. Due to the lack of reaction, Nami just directed her attention to the person who was currently looking for his present under the Christmas tree.

Ryutaro Tsuchiura's present wasn't that much in his opinion but he felt that it is very much suited for their ever energetic senior. He asked a couple of friends in his class on what to get and majority of them came to a conclusion that he should buy him something that is not connected with music, as to break the normality. So he ended up buying a couple of wristbands and a cap.

"Advance Merry Christmas, Sempai," Ryutaro said, tossing the box the trumpet player's direction.

"Thanks, Tsuchiura." Hihara caught it with one hand and opened it without hesitation. The trumpet player immediately beamed once he saw what was inside. He immediately wore the cap and checked his reflection on a nearby mirror, "Whoa, I love it. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Hihara and Ryutaro shared a high-five (*_click_*) as the trumpet player made his way to the tree to get his present. (*_click_*) His present was rather thin so one would assume that it was a book of sorts. But truthfully, it was not far from everyone's general assumption. The gift was a compilation of piano scores, both old and new. He saw it when he passed by a certain music store in another town when he was accompanying his brother with something a few days back. He scanned a few of the scores, knowing some of them (famous ones like Fur Elise and such) but majority of them is still unknown to him. So all in all, it was a perfect gift. And a challenge as well

"Advance Merry Christmas, Mori-san. I really looking forward to the day that I will hear you play my present," Hihara said with a bright smile as he gave the present to the rather surprised female pianist. (*_click_*) And given that it was Hihara, he wasn't fully aware of how much personal space he is crossing when he gave the present to her. (*_click_*)

"Mori-san is blushing…." Nami pointed out the obvious - rather loudly at that, "Whoot-whoot"

Finally sensing the situation, Hihara drew back immediately; apologizing as fast as he could to the female pianist. (*_click_*) That of course made her blush even more so Manami just resorted in acting like it wasn't a big deal, trying her best to ignore the heat coming from her cheeks. (*_click_*)

"Aren't you going to say Thank you," Nami asked cheekily, one eyebrow raised in a teasing manner.

The female pianist gave Nami a look before turning back to her still apologizing senior; giving him her best reassuring smile, (*_click_*) "Err…Thank you, Hihara-sempai."

That immediately soothed the troubled expression in the trumpet players features. Without missing a beat he returned the smile as he patted the female pianist's head lightly; like how an older brother would to his sister, (*_click_*) "Aww, thanks Mori-san."

Since she was the nearest to the Christmas Tree, all Manami did was to walk a few steps, reached down to grab her gift and then walked over to the resident cellist, who was currently sitting on the carpeted floor near the fire place. Overhearing the previous conversation the cellist and Shoko shared one time, she decided on giving him books, Since Keiichi read almost anything that would gain his interest, Manami bought him a lot.

"Advance merry Christmas, Shimizu-kun. Hope you like it," she said, giving the nice wrapped present to the young cellist. (*_click_*)

Keiichi smiled his ever angelic smile, (*_click_*) "Thank you, sempai"

Seeing that he was the last, Keiichi carefully set his present down for a moment to go and get his own present from under the tree. Being who he is, Keiichi asked the help of his sister with the wrapping. His sister chose a simple gift wrap with a snowflake pattern as its initial design and a blue ribbon to top it off. (*_click_*) Simple enough. The cellist then walked over to the only person who hasn't received a gift yet.

Having realized that it was her, Shoko immediately tensed as once again every attention was directed to her but tried her best not to show it. Instead she just looked at the cellist in mild surprise. (*_click_*) With his usual angelic smile, Keiichi handed the box to her. (*_click_*)

"Shoko-san…Advance Merry Christmas. I apologize that it is not as expensive as what your other friends might give you," the young cellist began. Shoko was about to say something about the last statement when Keiichi cut her off; clearly not yet done with what he was saying, "But I really hope that you will like it,"

Shoko didn't know why but she couldn't help but smile. (*_click_*) Who wouldn't, after all?

"Open it," Nami instructed, excitement clearly present in her tone, "Open it Fuuyumi-chan,"

"Amou-san, it's her present, not yours." Ryutaro said, raising an eyebrow.

"Stop ruining the moment," Nami immediately retorted, not even sparing the pianist a glance.

Shoko didn't need to be told twice. Carefully she undid the wrapping and once that was out of the way, she pulled out a medium sized snow globe with a ballerina figurine in the middle and some flowers encrusted at its feet. Shoko immediately looked up to the cellist, clearly not expecting such kind of gift. (*_click_*) When the cellist just gave a soft smile, Shoko shifted her gaze to her present once again. (*_click_*)

"It's beautiful," she whispered to herself.

"Try shaking it," Keiichi instructed.

Shoko obeyed and once she gave the snow globe a nice shake, a music box like tune emitted from it. The sound was very familiar to everyone in the room. It was a piece created by Tchaikovsky; the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Shoko smiled fondly, "It's wonderful Shimizu-kun. Thank you,"

For some reason, unknown even to him, the young cellist smiled with equal fondness (*_click_*) ; a matter that didn't go unnoticed to those who are present in the room. Not wanting to ruin it, no one commented about it. Not even Nami. But that was only for a few moments because, being who she is Nami (being high on sugar in all because of all those sweets they just ate) couldn't hold herself any longer.

"Awww….that's so sweet!" she exclaimed. Then placed her camera on top of the stereo, setting it on timer, "Group picture everyone,"

**-o-o-0-o-o-**

Of course, while this was going on Miyuko and Ryoma were watching from afar. To be honest, Ryoma wasn't expecting the gift from the young cellist. He was expecting the gift to be something like the others gave; music pieces and CDs. But nevertheless, he was quite impressed.

"To be young again," Miyuko sighed almost dreamily as she watched them take pictures of each other, talking and chattering like every other teenager would on a get together. Ryoma couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

He was about to give a comment about it when the sound of the house phone ringing reached his ears. He glanced at the woman beside him and after making sure that she had no intention in answering the call, Ryoma took it upon himself to do it.

"I'll get it." He told no one in particular as he went over to the nearest telephone. In his best polite tone he answered, "Hello, good evening. This is Ryoma speaking, how may I help you?"

A lad's voice, probably the same age as he was, answered at the other end. "Good evening too, sir. I would like to speak to Miss Shoko Fuuyumi. Is she there?"

Ryoma raised an eyebrow, "She is here, but a little preoccupied," then again in a polite tone he asked, "May I know who the caller is?"

What came next wasn't what he expected.

"I'm a friend of hers, Stephen Suichiro" came the reply from the other end. There was a pause before the caller spoke again, asking, "May I know who I am speaking with?"

A grin made its way on Ryoma's lips as a thought popped up. Oohh, he's really going to enjoy this.

Ryoma took a moment to collect himself; trying to sound the part and mentally arranging his words to add to the confidence effect.

"Oh, so you're the Stephen I kept hearing about. Stephen Suichiro de Faunte, am I correct?" Ryoma said, pausing for a moment just to add an effect. He could already imagine the person on the other line's surprised (may it be masked or not) expression at what he just said. Him without saying something for a moment somewhat proves it. That's when Ryoma dropped his wining card, "My name is Ryoma Koizuki heir of the Koizuki Corp. and Shoko's suitor."

The other line was silent for a good three seconds, "Pardon?"

That made Ryoma laugh to the point that he had to draw the phone away from him for a moment so he won't sound too rude.

"I wish I could see your face, bet it was priceless." Ryoma said after his very short laugh feast, a few chuckles escaping but he managed to control it and tone the rest of his laughter down. "Pardon me for that. I just couldn't resist. Anyway, I was just joking, my full name is Ryoma Fuuyumi, Shoko's cousin."

Before the person at the other end could answer, Ryoma's tone changed from cheerful to a very threatening one, "Listen well because I am only going to say this once, I don't care how rich and high and might your family is. If you hurt my cousin in any way, I will personally hunt you down and beat you up, making sure that I will leave a permanent reminder of it on your face ,"

Then he switched to his cheerful tone again, "I can call her here if you want,"

By now, he managed to totally creep out the de Faunte heir.

"Errr…." Came Stephen's answer, "I thought she is busy,"

"Well, kind of. But if it's you I know she'll -"

Stephen immediately cut him off, "If she is busy, I understand. I'll just call again some other time,"

"It's just a mini Christmas party. Her school buddies are here for some rehearsal of some sort then decided to throw a mini Christmas Party. Tonight is their last night here, see." Ryoma answered,

"Then she's very busy then," Stephen answered, his tone was mixed with a slight tinge of amusement, "Don't ruin her fun because of me. I just called on the landline because I cannot contact her since this morning. Well, morning in your place, that is."

"Figures," Ryoma answered, "Her phone battery is dead. In her hurry to get here she forgot to pack it in her bag" He could hear the de Faunte heir chuckling at the other end. For some reason, Ryoma felt a little at ease with it. He knew the guy meant well for his cousin, unlike the previous batch of suitors they have successfully scared off. However, that didn't mean he actually approves of the arrangement.

"Besides, even if the battery wasn't dead, she couldn't answer your calls." Ryoma added with a shrug even though the person on the other end can't see it.

"Busy rehearsing?" Stephen guessed

"No," Ryoma answered. Then that evil smirk made itself visible once again, another thought popping in his mind, "The poor thing has a high fever this morning. I'm surprised that she is able to stay up to this hour. Luckily, Shimizu-kun was able to take care of her since we were all out of the villa this morning,"

Ryoma paused, "And, I'm rambling,"

To be honest, it was part of his devious plan; make the fiancé worried and see how he will survive. Nothing harmful.

"Well, if you really don't want to talk to her, then I'll just relay the message that she should be expecting your call. So yeah, good night...or morning….whatever. Nice meeting you," he said, ending the call without even waiting for the persona the other end to give an answer.

Shoko and Miyuko are going to kill him when they found out what he has done; (which wasn't long so he will just have to cherish his freedom while it lasted). He had no intention of telling his cousin that the de Faunte heir called either.

"I wonder what his expression really looked like when I said that," he mused as he returned at Miyuko's side.

"Who called?" the maid asked, not tearing her eyes away from the group below. Shoko was now handing out the gifts she had bought for all of them.

What a thoughtful girl his cousin was.

Ryoma smirked, "Oh no one of great importance,"

**-o-o-0-o-o-**

**MEANWHILE DOWNSTAIRS:**

"Fuuyumi-san, I have a small favor to ask." Azuma asked the current host of the house. Shoko gave him an encouraging look, urging her senior to continue and so he did, "Will it be okay if I use your landline for a long distance call tomorrow morning? If not, I could just find a pay phone and -"

Shoko held both her hands up in a placating manner, "No. It's okay, sempai. You can use it as you like,"

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

**A/N:**

**And another chapter done and I apologize for the delay and for the tons of errors in the grammars and spelling on this chapter and the previous one. Hope you'll like this one.**

**Also, just to make it clear the (*click*) part is whenever Nami snap a picture of whatever that is unfolding in front of her. **

**To those who are waiting for Stephen's return, he will be on the next chapter. Though not physically there. Hehehe. I'm already writing it and I'm excited. I already had a couple of plans for the future chapters also, though I will say in advance I do not know when I will be uploading the next chapters. It's already summer and summer usually means no school, no allowance and no valid reason to stay in front of the computer typing something. Plus, I have to work something out to be able to gain some internet connection.**

**Anyway, I'm still open to your ideas.**

**And also, thank you to those who gave their ideas regarding the gifts. Thank you, thank you, thank you.**

**R&R**

**Junipefalcon17**


	25. Chapter 25

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**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**CHAPTER TWENTY - FOUR**

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

**-o-(HER SIDE)-o-**

Shoko Fuuyumi woke up earlier than she expected. Given her previous feverish state the day before and the little event they had the previous night; she was quite impress that she manage to wake up at this hour.

"Hello? Good morning. This is Shoko speaking. How may I help you?" Shoko answered, automatically modulating her tone to be as polite and cheerful with an unmistakable hint of authority as she could manage in her current sleepily state. With the number of times she did it and not to mention the constant reminders from the higher- ups in the family, it wasn't much of a surprise if she managed to sound a few times better than she expected in her mind and much better than she originally felt. However, unknown to her, the tone she used was very similar to what her cousin used every time he answered the phone as well.

Well, in her defense, it was what the grown-ups taught them; at the start of a phone call, put up an act of humility and politeness with a hint of power laced with a professional air for one cannot know for sure who will be calling.

However, she was greeted with a rather unfamiliar response; a chuckle - a rather familiar chuckle in her opinion. Then immediately it was followed by a statement she was least expecting at that moment; effectively jolting her out of her sleepiness. "Good morning too, Princess."

Shoko felt her stomach did a somersault at the sound of his voice. Truly, she wasn't expecting to hear from him this soon considering the difference in time and his busy schedule. Well, whatever the reason behind the phone call, it must be important if he could somehow allot some time for it.

But instead of saying something worthwhile, she ended up saying the first thing that was stuck in her mind before she had the chance to rethink about it, "Suichiro-kun?"

Upon realizing what she just uttered, Shoko bit her lower lip and began to mentally scold herself for acting foolishly; stating something that was completely obvious. If only her Aunt Chichi was there, she would certainly receive an earful of lectures with a punishment ready for such an act.

At the other end she heard the de Faunte heir chuckle once again; obviously finding her reaction amusing. Shoko could imagine his reaction already and yet somehow she can't make herself feel offended; if anything it made her feel flustered.

"The one and only," he answered, amusement still present in his tone, "Did you miss me princess?"

Despite of the fact that she couldn't see him (something that she was quite thankful for at that moment); she could still find herself blushing at his question. And of course, being who she is, she doesn't know how to respond correctly to that inquiry.

"You didn't even miss me? I'm hurt princess," Stephen said, his tone obviously feigning disappointment. Shoko could even imagine him dramatically placing a hand over his heart to act the part. The thought made her giggle. The reaction must be enough of an answer to the de Faunte heir for he gave a short yet amused laugh, "You are cruel, my fair princess."

Shoko managed to stop her giggles and sheepishly uttered an apology; something that made Stephen chuckle once again.

But then the de Faunte heir's tone changed slightly as it was now laced a hint of concern, "So How's my princess? Your cousin told me you caught a fever yesterday. How are you feeling now?"

Shoko's eyebrows met. Her cousin? As in Ryoma? When did the two of them talked? How did they even know each other?

Shoko became slightly worried. Knowing her cousin, he surely did something she wouldn't supervise or worse, something embarrassing for her part. She certainly hoped he didn't threaten the de Faunte heir. True she finds her cousin's protective nature kind of sweet but sometimes it was bit much; sometimes people thought he was her boyfriend. Pushing those thoughts aside, making a mental tone to ask her dear cousin about it later when she is done with the call, she focused herself on the conversation at the moment.

"I'm fine, now" she answered, trying to sound reassuring as she could, "Thank you for asking, Suichiro-kun"

"That's good to hear," she heard him mutter to himself then reverting back to his usual tone, he asked, "How did you catch that fever anyway? It's not like you stayed out in the cold all night,"

That's when Shoko made the mistake of not answering right away.

The young clarinetist thoughts were immediately brought back to the night little Reiko ran away. Without meaning to, another blush dusted her cheek. Of course she was thankful of her friend; she could imagine how will she manage to find her nephew if he didn't arrive. However, remembering her state and predicament that time, she can't help but feel slightly embarrassed by it. It was a good thing Shimizu never brought that incident up; it was as if he temporarily forgot about it. But even so, Shoko was not sure what the young cellist thought of her back then.

She must have looked so pathetic back then. How embarrassing.

"You did, didn't you," she heard Stephen say from the other end. In her silence, she just confirmed what the de Faunte heir stated. Even though she couldn't see him, she could imagine his disapproving look as if she disobeyed a direct rule on purpose; like a child scolded by her parents.

Shoko Fuuyumi, even though she was already fretting slightly at the response for some reason, managed to answer back without stammering, "Oh….uhm…W...well sort of- but not all night. I just stayed outside longer than needed to sort some family issue and -"

"Hai, hai. I didn't mean to pry Princess." Stephen cut her explanation off. Then with a gentler tone he added, "You just had me worried."

Shoko blinked a couple of times as she felt her cheeks grew warm again. But, of course, the de Faunte heir was completely oblivious to this. Shoko was thankful the conversation was done on the phone; for he cannot see her reaction.

"You should have been more careful. Like everybody close to you, I can't help but worry." Stephen added, unknowingly making her blush even more, "I'm just concerned of your well-being, Princess."

"Oh," was all Shoko could say at that moment. The way he said it, his tone evident of genuine worry and care, Shoko felt her stomach do another flip; the sensation making her feel uneasy but not unpleasantly. A smile made its way to the clarinetist's lips and with a sincere tone she added, "I'm sorry for making you worry, Suichiro-kun. I'm so sorry,"

Stephen gave chuckle, "There's no need to be sorry for Princess. It's normal for someone to worry when the person is special,"

"Oh...uhm," she was not sure how to respond to that, even if she was entirely sure that he meant it as a friend. So she did the only thing she could think of to brush it off: evading the topic.

"How about you Suichiro-kun? Is everything fine there?"

Again Stephen chuckled.

"Everything is fine even though I'm a bit tired and a little bored but what else is new?" He obviously noticed the sudden shift in the conversation but didn't bother to point it out. Instead he just went on with the flow and added, "Unlike you though, you guys seem to have quite an event there last night,"

"It was nothing big. We just ate, watched some movies, exchanged some gifts and took some pictures." Shoko answered truthfully, "Me and Shimizu-kun slept earlier than our sempais though so I don't know what else they did,"

"That's better than here," Stephen answered, "All we do is hard work and deadlines." Shoko heard someone say something on the other line then followed by the sound by the sound of a vehicle driving off.

After a couple of seconds, Stephen spoke again, "So what gift did you receive?"

"A snow globe that plays a tune whenever I shake it," Shoko answered without hesitation.

"Hmmm….quite thoughtful." Stephen commented. Shoko heard a 'ding' from what she presumed was an elevator on the other line, "Who gave it to you?"

"Shimizu-kun did," Shoko answered, sitting on a high stool near the counter. On the other line she could hear several muffled voices, all talking at the same time. She heard another 'ding' from the elevator and few shuffling, followed by a distant 'Good evening Sir,' from a lady.

Shoko scrunched her eyebrows as she asked, "Uhm...Suichiro-kun?"

"Hmmm?" came the reply but the de Faunte heir immediately added, "Oh, sorry Shoko-san. I was….uh, for the lack of better term….distracted,"

Shoko's eyebrows met again in bewilderment but decided not to ask. It wasn't a big deal anyway. Judging by the sounds she could hear in the background just a while ago, Stephen was inside a building. If she were given a chance to guess, she would say that he was there for business. That's how things usually go in the business world; it is rare to stay in a place where there is less or no profit.

"Uhm...Suichiro-kun, are you...working...I mean...off to work?" Shoko asked hesitantly.

"Huh?" Stephen answered, seemingly surprised by the question, "It's nearly quarter to eleven in the evening here. Work ended a few hours ago, Shoko-san."

Before Shoko could say another word, the sound of a door closing reached her ears, and then it was followed by the sound of someone playing a trumpet. The tune was distant yet she can still distinguish it; the Christmas song, Jingle Bells. Though she was curious, making her eyebrows rise a little bit, Shoko decided not to inquire about it.

The playing stopped then it was immediately followed by a cheerful call from a guy, "Step! Finally you're here!"

"Hey Step! Uncle's secretary dropped this earlier. Apparently they need your help with the company in Ireland," another one said, then it was followed by some noise that Shoko can't tell what it was, "Poor you,"

"Hey, don't piss him off. You know how scary he is when he is in a bad mood." Shoko heard someone say in a teasing manner.

A brief moment of silence was heard on the other end; Shoko thought the call ended. However, she was immediately proved wrong when she heard some shuffling sounds and then it was followed by some noises as if the phone is being moved about. After that, Shoko heard a few shouts and grunts. Shoko bit her lip as she subconsciously began tapping the table in front of her.

"Oh you are no fun, Step!" someone yelled from the other line.

"Uhm….S…Sui..chiro-k…kun?" She asked hesitantly

But instead of Stephen's voice, she heard someone say, "Hey there, sweetie"

Shoko's eyes widen as the same noises were heard once again. In a slightly muffled tone, she heard Stephen say something in a language she wasn't familiar of - but it sounded European. And though he sounded calm and collected Shoko felt as if Stephen was threatening whoever he was talking to. Whatever he said, it was effective enough for the noises on the other end seems to die down.

"Are you still there, Shoko-san?" Stephen asked.

"Hai,"

Stephen sighed, "I'm sorry about that Shoko-san. My cousins are acting a little stupid."

Shoko giggled.

Then she heard it again. The sound of someone playing an instrument but this time it wasn't composed of a single sound; it was composed of an ensemble and it was playing a tune that was familiar yet different to Shoko. As a musician she was highly intrigued by the melody. From there, it sounded entirely different from the classical pieces they play and yet they seem to be using classical instruments; the trumpet alone is a proof of that.

As she was definitely curious, she can't help but ask, "Is someone playing there?"

Shoko heard a chuckle from the other end. "You heard them huh? It's my cousins and my friend Josiah. It's kind of a tradition in the de Faunte family that every member would perform a musical piece in a company Christmas Ball. So here they are, practicing their hands off,"

"Are you going to play too, Suichiro-kun?" she asked without any second thoughts, but then she bit her lip once she realized what she just said.

There was a long pause, the music in the background stopped also. Shoko was about to apologize for asking when Stephen decided to answer her question.

"No. I'm afraid not. I don't play anymore, remember?" he answered calmly, but even so, since she can't see his expression, Shoko felt bad for asking; as she intruded on an uncomfortable topic, "Josiah is filling up for me and besides, they'll do perfectly without me,"

"I'm so sorry. I apologize if i said something that is clearly out of my line. I didn't mean to -"

"It's alright, Shoko-san. You didn't offend me in anyway. No need to apologize," Stephen cut her apology off. This is time Shoko wished she could see his expression; she had this nagging feeling that the de Faunte heir is mad at her.

Shoko mentally sighed.

"I'm so sorry. I know I shouldn't have but...well...I'm really curious," Shoko's lips formed a small smile at that thought. Well, it was true, she really is curious, "Whenever I think about it I can't help but wonder. I'd really like to hear your music, Suichiro-kun. Even if it's just a short while,"

There was a brief moment of silence and Shoko lost her self-esteem immediately. She must have said too much. "But I'm not forcing you Suichiro-kun….It's just that….well…I…oh no….I'm sorry, I went a little too far in speaking. Please don't be angry with me, I -"

"Shoko-san," Stephen said, effectively stopping the young clarinetist from her rant, "I'm not angry with you. In fact, I'm a little happy. I really appreciate it but sadly, no, I'm still not performing. But thank you for saying so,"

"Oh, I see," was her only reply.

Stephen gave a chuckle, "But even so, thank you, Princess."

Shoko was about to ask why he was thanking her when someone from the other line shouted: "You call her Princess? Geez, Step, how sappy can you get?"

Stephen cleared his throat, "Anyway, the reason I called -"

"He's going to confess his undying love for you!" the same person from earlier yelled once again. Then Shoko heard a soft thud on the other end, "Shoko-san! Your darling Stephen is so mean to me!"

"Eh?" Shoko said before she could even stop herself. Instantly, she clamped her hand over her mouth.

The same noises were heard then came silence. Shoko heard a sigh on the other end, "Finally, some peace and quiet. Anyway, as I was saying - "

That's when Shoko felt someone poke on the sides of her waist; effectively surprising her to the point that she let out a squeal. Instantly, she turned around and smacked the culprit's arm. But instead of complaint, the culprit just laughed heartily.

"Ryoma, that wasn't funny." Shoko reprimanded - or at least tried to, with her cousin laughing like that, it was hard to keep the facade up.

"Hey there," Ryoma shouted near the phone. Shoko immediately pushed him away. Thankfully, he just laughed and walked away.

"I'm sorry about that, Suichiro-kun," Shoko said in her best apologetic tone.

"Don't worry I understand the feeling," came Stephen's answer, a few chuckles can be heard. "You have a cute squeal, do you know that?"

Shoko could feel a blush form on her cheeks again. As to evade the teasing that will surely come later, Shoko forced herself to sound indifferent and change the subject - failing almost immediately but continued anyway.

"What were you suppose to say, Suichiro-kun?"

"Oh that," Stephen answered, but this time he didn't sound so amused anymore, "Well, as I was saying, it's about the Christmas concert. I'm so sorry Shoko-san. I told you I'd come but Grandfather already made some unchangeable plans for the week, the date of the concert included. I'm so sorry Shoko-san,"

Shoko was silent for a moment as she allowed the de Faunte heir's words to sink in. When it finally did, Shoko felt slightly different but can't really grasp the exact feeling.

"I understand Suichiro-kun," she answered, "And there is nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault,"

"Do I hear a hint of disappointment in your tone, Princess?" Stephen said rather teasingly, "Awww, you really do miss me?"

Though she knew he was just teasing, Shoko blushed immediately and went to defensive mode, "I….It's -"

"I'm just joking. But still, I feel bad about it." Stephen answered back

Shoko gave a small smile, even though the de Faunte heir could see it. Her tone sounded reassuring enough, "Like I said before Suichiro-kun, I understand."

There was a moment of silence in the lines. But the silence was immediately broken by an amused hum then it was followed by a sigh that turned into a chuckle.

"I'm positive that I can attend the company ball you are asked to perform though, it's ours after all, so you will still get to see me," he said, tone now laced with amusement that she could imagine him grinning.

"Yours?" Shoko repeated. Then finally, everything fell into realization; the concert's sponsor - the one Yunoki Azuma went during that time when they found the mute girl. In an instant, Shoko turned from flustered to panicky. She had a good reason to, anyway. They were going to perform in front of all of those big business personnel, some might even know her. "Oh you mean -"

"You sound so shocked, I thought you knew." Stephen interrupted the start of her nervous breakdown, clearly unaware of it, "Honestly, I think the only reason Grandfather allowed you guys to perform with him funding everything is because he wants to let his pals know that you're my fiancée. He rarely does things for free, you know. I just thought of saying this to you in advance, in case he decided to inform you about that matter personally,"

That didn't help in making herself calm about the matter. The said event is about a couple of days away and she was already feeling nervous; she would want to imagine how nervous she'll be at the said day.

Stephen continued, breaking her musings, "But fear not, for I will be there as your escort for the night so don't agree if anyone asked you to be their date for the night because I will be extremely jealous if you did,"

It took a moment for Shoko to register what the de Faunte heir just said, and when it did, all she could say was, "Eh?"

"Anyway, I'll be looking forward to see your costume, Princess." Stephen said rather cheerfully; clearly oblivious to the now flustered girl on the other line. She then heard someone say something but unlike the previous, the person who spoke said it in a low tone so the statement sounded like someone muttering. With a sigh he continued, "Well, Princess, that's my cue. I need to get going or else my uncle will give me a lengthy sermon."

"Oh…uhm…Okay," Shoko answered, not knowing what else to say, "Take care, Suichiro-kun."

Stephen gave a chuckle, "I should be saying that to you, Princess."

"I'll take care of myself, Suichiro-kun," Shoko answered reassuringly with a smile to match, "Don't worry,"

"That's what you said last time," the de Faunte heir reminded in a playful scolding tone. Then his tone turned serious as if he just remembered something of great importance, "I guess I just have to see you at the Christmas Ball. I have something important to discuss to you. I think it has something to do with the engagement,"

"Stephen!" came a shout.

"I'm coming," Stephen immediately answered back, then with another sigh, he said to the young clarinetist, "Bye, Shoko-san."

With nothing else left to say, she just answered a simple "Bye," in return

And the call ended.

**-o-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-o-**

****-o-(HIS SIDE)-o-****

Stephen Randolph Suichiro von Dylan Kanade de Faunte, heir to one of the biggest companies in the economic world, gave an exhausted sigh while watching the busy streets of London, England as they drove by. His driver was humming along with the song that was on the car's music player; the young de Faunte heir had a vague guess that it was something from the 1970s or lower. Growing tired of the monotonous sight of cars, stores and lamps, Stephen closed his eyes and slumped on the seat; a sigh escaping his lips once again.

It had been a really tiring day for him. Half of the day he was working at the main office, taking care of the paper works for the reports and finances as well as the new deals and new branches then after that, he went to several social gatherings hosted by some business acquaintances on behalf of his Grandfather and last but not the least, an emergency meeting with one of their sister companies.

It was even a surprise he didn't have a headache after all that. Of course, he blames it on the regularity of such happenings; if ever there was a work day wherein he would just spend it sitting in his office doing close to nothing - that would either mean that their business is bankrupt or a miracle just happened.

"Oh, sir, I just remembered. You instructed me to remind you of a phone call you are to make," the driver said as he turned down the volume of what he was listening.

Stephen opened his eyes and looked at the man through the rear view mirror with a bewildered expression, "A phone call you say? To whom?"

"A Miss Shoko Fuuyumi, if I recall." The driver answered politely.

Stephen stared at the mirror for a moment before letting out a silent yet exasperated groan of annoyance as he remembered. He must have been thinking way too much to even forget that he was supposed to call his '_fiancée_' to tell her that he couldn't make it to their charity concert.

"Stupid," muttered to himself as he fished out his phone.

Unfortunately, his driver took his outburst differently. To him, it sounded as if the young de Faunte heir was scolding him for it. During his years of servitude to the de Faunte family, he knew by experience that the young heir was far more lenient than the current head of the family but he also learned that, there were times (blame it on the pressure) wherein he would just lose his temper and vent it on whoever was unfortunate enough to catch his attention.

"I'm sorry if I forgot it myself. I'm not as young I used to be. Forgive me young sir," he apologized in his best sincere tone; already hoping that it was enough to appease the wrath of the young heir.

Hearing the apology, Stephen looked up at the rear view mirror again as he held the mobile phone beside his ear, waiting for someone on the other end to pick up the call. Seeing the troubled look on his driver's face, he instantly recalled his actions and realization struck him.

"Oh, I didn't mean you, Mr. Jimmy." he told him, "I was referring to myself. I apologize for my actions,"

Hearing the apology from his employer, the driver immediately answered, "I am in no position for you to apologize, young sir, for I am just a humble servant -"

"Hold that thought," Stephen said upon hearing that someone picked the phone up on the other side.

"Hello? Good morning. This is Shoko speaking. How may I help you?" a female voice answered using the same tone as the one he called the previous morning (or night, in their case); the tone of her voice was obviously modulated to sound humble and polite with a hint of power laced with a professional air of something akin to authority.

It's amazing how her voice sounded authoritative when she wants it to be; a deep contrast to her sweet and shy nature. For some reason, Stephen emitted an amused chuckle; quite informal, he knew, but he just could help himself.

"Good morning too, Princess." He greeted with a smile on his face, despite of the fact that she can't see him.

"Suichiro-kun?" came a rather hesitant answer. Obviously she wasn't expecting him to call at all, that thought made Stephen chuckle once again.

"The one and only," he answered, amusement evident in his tone as he teased her, "Did you miss me princess?"

There was a moment of silence in the other end; the call did not end so Stephen assumed that the young clarinetist was caught off guard with what he just said. He wouldn't be surprised if she would be blushing at that moment; that made him laugh inwardly.

It was typical of Shoko to do so.

"You didn't even miss me? I'm hurt princess," Stephen said, making his tone sound like he was feigning disappointment, subconsciously placing a hand over his heart to act the part though she couldn't see him. With that answer, he heard her giggle and that was enough to make Stephen let loose of a short yet amused laugh. At least, at that moment, she didn't sound like a fake upper-class person answering a call as if she were talking about business negotiations, "You are cruel, my fair princess."

Shoko managed to stop her giggles and sheepishly uttered an apology; something that made Stephen chuckle once again. It was good to call someone that is not related to the business world every once in a while. He looked outside the car window once again just in time to see that it was snowing once again. Watching as the small white thing floated down from the skies to the earth below made him remember something; something that was rather troubling in his opinion.

"So how is my princess? Your cousin told me you caught a fever yesterday. How are you feeling now?" he asked suddenly, his tone changing almost automatically from teasing to worry.

It took a moment for the girl on the other line to answer.

"I'm fine, now" she answered, trying to sound reassuring as she could, "Thank you for asking, Suichiro-kun"

"That's good to hear," he muttered to himself as he slumped back to his seat, looking up and finding great interest in the roof of the car, "How did you catch that fever anyway? It's not like you stayed out in the cold all night,"

Again, there was silence on the other end and the young de Faunte heir has no idea what is going on inside the clarinetist's mind or what her expression is at his inquiry; for some reason he found it unsettling. If anything, her silence just confirmed his thoughts that she did stay out in the cold all night.

"You did, didn't you," he deadpanned, obviously disapproving her actions.

Almost immediately, Shoko began to explain, "Oh….uhm…W...well sort of- but not all night. I just stayed outside longer than needed to sort some family issue and -"

"Hai, hai. I didn't mean to pry Princess." Stephen cut her explanation off then with a gentler tone he added, "You just had me worried."

Shoko was silent for a moment and the young de Faunte heir could only assume that she was again caught off guard with the statement and he was positively sure that she was blushing. Without meaning to, he smiled. He doesn't know why but there is something amusing in seeing her flustered about something so little, though she was trying hard to fight it and act normal.

"You should have been more careful. Like everybody close to you, I can't help but worry." he added, that smile didn't leave his features, "I'm just concerned of your well-being, Princess."

"Oh," was all Shoko could say at that moment as the line fell silent once again. Then with a sincere tone she added, "I'm sorry for making you worry, Suichiro-kun. I'm so sorry,"

Stephen gave chuckle, "There's no need to be sorry for Princess. It's normal for someone to worry when the person is special,"

"Oh...uhm," and again the girl on the other line was not sure how to respond to that. Then she did something that he clearly was expecting her to do in a situation like this: evade the topic, "How about you Suichiro-kun? Is everything fine there?"

Stephen chuckled

"Everything is fine even though I'm a bit tired and a little bored but what else is new?" he answered, obviously letting her know that he noticed the sudden shift in the conversation. Going on with the flow he added, "Unlike you though, you guys seem to have quite an event there last night,"

"It was nothing big. We just ate, watched some movies, exchanged some gifts and took some pictures." Shoko answered truthfully on the other end. He, on the other hand, just arrived at his destination. The young clarinetist continued, "Me and Shimizu-kun slept earlier than our sempais though so I don't know what else they did,"

"That's better than here," Stephen answered as his driver opened the car door for him. He stepped out of the vehicle with the authority of a de Faunte heir that has nothing to do with the casualness of his conversation, "All we do is hard work and deadlines."

"Have a pleasant evening young sir," the driver said with a respectful bow. Stephen nodded curtly and stood there as his driver drove off.

Returning to the conversation, Stephen asked "So what gift did you receive?"

"A snow globe that plays a tune whenever I shake it," Shoko answered without hesitation.

"Hmmm….quite thoughtful." Stephen commented as he tried to imagine what the said item looked like as he entered the building and made a beeline to the elevator. It wasn't long before a 'ding' was heard and he stepped in the compartment, pushing the right buttons so that he'll arrive at the right floor. "Who gave it to you?"

"Shimizu-kun did," Shoko answered as the elevator 'ding'ed open and a couple of people entered. Stephen's eyebrows met slightly; clearly uneasy of something. It only took a few seconds till Stephen reached his floor. As soon as he heard the 'ding', he immediately stepped outside the said compartment.

"Good Evening, Sir." came an immediate greeting from one of his cousin's secretary with a few papers in hand.

"Uhm...Suichiro-kun?"

"Hmmm?" came his reply rather distractedly as he signed the said papers almost robotically. He made it as quick as possible and once it was done, Stephen immediately added, "Oh, sorry Shoko-san. I was….uh, for the lack of better term…distracted,"

"Uhm...Suichiro-kun, are you...working...I mean...off to work?" Shoko asked hesitantly.

"Huh?" was his answer, seemingly surprised by the question, "It's nearly quarter to eleven in the evening here. Work ended a few hours ago, Shoko-san."

Well, that was half a lie. True it was quarter to eleven in the evening but as always his work is not time bound. He will be called whenever he is need in whatever time of the day.

Stephen went to the room where he knew his cousins were at and closed the door behind him. As expected, they were practicing for the Christmas Ball - well, at least they used to be practicing. At that moment, they were just goofing around, playing the song Jingle Bells just for fun. Leonard was not there, surprisingly since he was so set on playing the violin for this performance.

The trumpet player among the de Faunte cousins, Ethan, noticed his presence in the room and immediately stopped only to greet him - rather loudly if he may add, "Step! Finally you're here!"

That made everyone turn their heads towards him and earned a lot of reactions but one of the reactions stood out about the rest; the statement from his cousin Gregory.

"Hey Step! Uncle's secretary dropped this earlier. Apparently they need your help with the company in Ireland," he said as he made his way towards him, mockingly patting him on the head, "Poor you,"

At that, Stephen shot him a glare.

"Hey, don't piss him off. You know how scary he is when he is in a bad mood." Philip, the youngest in the room, said, having witnessed the glare Stephen gave Gregory.

That's when Gregory noticed the phone near Stephen's ear. Being around each other for quite some time, it was quite easy to read each of their expressions; especially during phone calls. A serious and authoritative façade was present whenever the call was related to their business, a sarcastic with a hint of slight annoyance and playfulness when it comes to the de Faunte cousins, politeness when it comes to the higher-ups and friendliness when it comes to close, well, friends. The expression on Stephen's face however, as he is clearly oblivious about it, was a mixture of friendliness and something else.

It has to be a girl.

And unfortunately, Gregory wasn't the one who noticed it.

In one swift motion, Gregory snagged the phone out of Stephen's hand and looked at the caller ID and his grin just got bigger. As Stephen was about to snag it back, Gregory tossed it to the nearest person to him and well that was the start of the pass-the-phone-to everyone game; a few whistles and catcalls was automatically heard upon reading who their cousin was calling to. There was an unfortunate scene wherein Stephen had to throw a pillow at one of his cousins to stop him from catching his phone.

"Oh you are no fun, Step!" his cousin yelled as he proceeded to playfully tackle Stephen on the couch. Seeing that he was distracted, Ethan took his chance and snagged the phone out of Stephen's hands and held it near his ear; just in time to hear a rather hesitant yet sweet voice of one unsuspecting Shoko Fuuyumi.

"Uhm….S…Sui..chiro-k…kun?"

Immediately, Ethan went to playboy mode, "Hey there, sweetie"

Stephen once again made a grab for the phone but Ethan tossed it the nearest person to him that time, which happened to be Josiah. Having caught it on pure reflex, clearly unaware of the commotion or why was Stephen was heading towards him in such speed, Josiah tossed it to Philip; the person on his right. And well, being the youngest, thus the smallest (though he was around twelve), he was easy to subdue so once again the phone was returned to it rightful owner.

Stephen sighed at his cousin's antics; he can't be mad at them for there was a time wherein he was part of the phone-tossing game when Leonard was still courting his fiancée. Well, he guessed it was just pay back. But even so, he wasn't totally amused by it. He looked at his cousins and threatened them in a way only he could do in fluent Russian; the language everyone in the room could understand. Unbelievingly, it was effective enough for they seem to grumble and went back to whatever they were doing before.

"Are you still there, Shoko-san?" Stephen asked.

"Hai,"

Stephen sighed, "I'm sorry about that Shoko-san. My cousins are acting a little stupid."

Shoko giggled. That made Stephen smile as he sat on the counter, waiting for the water he just placed to boil; nothing like a cup of tea to calm his nerves. With nothing else to do - or annoy - the rest of the occupants of the room reverted back to practicing the piece they were going to play for the concert; a modernized version of the 12 days of Christmas.

"Is someone playing there?" was her answer.

Stephen chuckled. Of course, she would ask something about the music; she is a musician after all. "You heard them huh? It's my cousins and my friend Josiah. It's kind of a tradition in the de Faunte family that every member would perform a musical piece in a company Christmas Ball. So here they are, practicing their hands off,"

"Are you going to play too, Suichiro-kun?" she asked rather straightforward, no second thoughts.

Stephen nearly dropped the mug he was holding. For some reason, his cousins and Josiah stopped playing but when he looked they were sorting something from their music sheets. The kettle whistled. Regaining his composure, Stephen decided to answer as he pour the water on his cup.

"No. I'm afraid not. I don't play anymore, remember?" he answered calmly as he could, careful not to let any more emotion leak out, "Josiah is filling up for me and besides, they'll do perfectly without me,"

And she went to apologetic mode, "I'm so sorry. I apologize if i said something that is clearly out of my line. I didn't mean to -"

"It's alright, Shoko-san. You didn't offend me in anyway. No need to apologize," Stephen cut her apology off, a small smile making its way on his lips.

"I'm so sorry. I know I shouldn't have but...well...I'm really curious," she said. For some reason he pictured her deep in thought, "Whenever I think about it I can't help but wonder. I'd really like to hear your music, Suichiro-kun. Even if it's just a short while,"

She'd like to hear his music. If she only knew, she wouldn't be so keen in hearing it anymore. Unlike her, unlike her companions, unlike his cousins, unlike his friend, his performance in music was not even scratching the surface of what they were doing. At first it was okay, wonderful, if he were to boast; like some first love of sorts. But after that night, the fateful night, everything changed. His music, as she puts it, became hollow; void of any emotion - empty. He just couldn't bring himself to do it again - not yet, not soon.

As he was drowned in his musings, the girl on the other end took it differently; her self-esteem diminishing fast. She must have said too much. "But I'm not forcing you Suichiro-kun….It's just that….well…I…oh no….I'm sorry, I went a little too far in speaking. Please don't be angry with me, I -"

"Shoko-san," Stephen said, effectively stopping the young clarinetist from her rant, "I'm not angry with you. In fact, I'm a little happy. I really appreciate it but sadly, no, I'm still not performing. But thank you for saying so,"

"Oh, I see," was her only reply.

Stephen gave a chuckle, "But even so, thank you, Princess."

And of course the moment was broken when Josiah suddenly shouted, "You call her Princess? Geez, Step, how sappy can you get?"

Stephen shot him a glare and Josiah immediately shut up, but a wide grin was still there. The de Faunte heir raised an eyebrow at his friend who just shrugged in return.

Mentally sighing in defeat, Stephen cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, the reason I called -"

"He's going to confess his undying love for you!" Josiah yelled once again. Without a word, Stephen grabbed a cook book on top of the counter and threw it at his friend, who just dodged it so it hit the wall. Unfortunately, that didn't stop him from his teasing, "Shoko-san! Your darling Stephen is so mean to me!"

"Eh?"

Sighing, Stephen grabbed his cup of tea and made his way towards the balcony. On his way, some of his cousin tried to restart the tossing game but this time Stephen evaded them effectively. He didn't even spill the contents of his cup. Once that he was safe in the cold winter night, he continued, "Finally, some peace and quiet. Anyway, as I was saying - "

And was interrupted by a surprised squeal at the other line. It made him blink for a moment before realizing that the source of such sound was the young clarinetist he was talking to. Then he heard a laugh from a guy on the other end that was immediately followed by a "Ryoma, that wasn't funny." from the girl.

Shoko almost sounded as if she was reprimanding the guy but instead, the laugh just got louder.

"Hey there," someone called to the phone. There was some shuffling then it was followed by a laugh.

"I'm sorry about that, Suichiro-kun," Shoko said in her best apologetic tone.

"Don't worry I understand the feeling," Stephen answered as he took a sip from his tea. Shoko chuckled on the other end, "You have a cute squeal, do you know that?"

He immediately pictured her blushing. It was just so hard not to tease her. And again, she tried to distract herself by changing the topic.

"What were you suppose to say, Suichiro-kun?"

"Oh that," Stephen frowned, clearly not amused with what he was going to say. To be honest, talking to her in such a casual manner made him forget of the main reason why he called her, "Well, as I was saying, it's about the Christmas concert. I'm so sorry Shoko-san. I told you I'd come but Grandfather already made some unchangeable plans for the week, the date of the concert included. I'm so sorry Shoko-san,"

"I understand Suichiro-kun," she answered, after a moment of silence. Clearly she was trying to hide the slight disappointment she felt. "And there is nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault,"

And so, despite of the moment, Stephen teased her.

"Do I hear a hint of disappointment in your tone, Princess?" Stephen said, "Awww, you really do miss me?"

Though he knew that she was disappointed of him not coming because he would miss a chance to witness such a performance from her school and of course, not being to hear such a wonderful melody from their performance ( and not something especial, not that he was expecting it anyway, he added) he just couldn't resist teasing her.

Shoko immediately went to defensive mode, "I….It's -"

"I'm just joking. But still, I feel bad about it." Stephen answered back with a wide smile.

"Like I said before Suichiro-kun, I understand." The clarinetist answered reassuringly.

There was a moment of silence in the lines. But the silence was immediately broken when Stephen let out an amused hum that was followed by a sigh that turned into a chuckle.

"I'm positive that I can attend the company ball you are asked to perform though, it's ours after all, so you will still get to see me," he said with a hint of amusement as he grinned like a Cheshire cat, remembering the event.

"Yours?" Shoko repeated. She was silent for moment then she sounded panicky, "Oh you mean -"

"You sound so shocked, I thought you knew." Stephen interrupted the start of her rant, "Honestly, I think the only reason Grandfather allowed you guys to perform with him funding everything is because he wants to let his pals know that you're my fiancée. He rarely does things for free, you know. I just thought of saying this to you in advance, in case he decided to inform you about that matter personally,"

Oblivious to what the girl on the other line was thinking, Stephen continued, "But fear not, for I will be there as your escort for the night so don't agree if anyone asked you to be their date for the night because I will be extremely jealous if you did,"

That last part made him smile for no reason. He didn't exactly mean it for he doesn't want to control her decisions (she had enough of that from her family anyway) but he would be lying if he told himself that he was okay with it. Somehow, he found it unsettling. Oh, he would be jealous, alright - though only in the slightest. After all, they had agreed that they would just play the part until he found a way to break the engagement off.

Great, now he had a headache forming.

It took a moment for Shoko to answer and all she said was, "Eh?" making Stephen inwardly laugh.

"Anyway, I'll be looking forward to see your costume, Princess." Stephen said rather cheerfully

"Oi Stephen, Uncle Michael is looking for you. It's something about the Infratext Inc." Harry, the clarinetist of the de Faunte family, called from the balcony door frame.

'_Wonderful_' he thought.

"A car will pick you up after fifteen minutes,"

With a sigh he continued, "Well, Princess, that's my cue. I need to get going or else my uncle will give me a lengthy sermon."

"Oh…uhm…Okay," Shoko answered, not knowing what else to say, "Take care, Suichiro-kun."

Stephen gave a chuckle, "I should be saying that to you, Princess."

"I'll take care of myself, Suichiro-kun," Shoko answered, "Don't worry,"

"That's what you said last time," Stephen reminded with a playful scolding tone. It was then did he remember something important, "I guess I just have to see you at the Christmas Ball. I have something important to discuss to you. I think it has something to do with the engagement,"

"Stephen!" came a shout from the inside. If he had to guess, he would say that it was Gregory.

"I'm coming," Stephen immediately answered back, then with another sigh, he said to the young clarinetist, "Bye, Shoko-san."

With nothing else left to say, she just answered a simple "Bye," in return

And the call ended.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**-o-o-o-0-o-o-o-**

**BACK AT THE VILLA:**

Somewhere in the villa, someone couldn't help but grin at the small secret he overheard. True, there were rumors that the young de Faunte heir, the one person almost every business tycoon who had a daughter, granddaughter or a niece is after, is already engaged to someone but never it came into his mind that the lucky girl who get to be a part of the most powerful and influential family in the economic world would be someone like Shoko Fuuyumi.

It almost made him laugh.

And to think it was a secret.

Well, it was their mistake for using the landline.

Laughing to himself, Yunoki Azuma placed the receiver back to its place as a single word rose up from his mind: "Interesting,"

**A/N:**

**Sorry for the late update. I'm not going to mention my excuses. Anyway, I'm off job hunting so I don't know when will I update next. But I'll try to do so as soon as possible. Sorry for the grammatical errors, I'll try to fix them as soon as I can get back to writing. Thank you for all your reviews also. It makes me super happy just to know that you are still reading this. Anyway, be a darling and tell me what you think. 'Kay?**

**Taaaaaa!**

**-juniperfalcon17**


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